Indresh Kumar in coversation with a leader during a meeting of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch in Old City

HYDERABAD: At a time when the BJP is trying to consolidate its presence in Telangana , RSS ’s Muslim arm – the Muslim Rashtriya Manch – has for the first time opened district units across the state. The Manch had opened its office in Hyderabad about four years ago with just two members. Today, its office-bearers claim that they have about 3,000 members in Hyderabad. They are now targeting 10,000 members across the state by the end of this year. The Manch will also be opening offices in Andhra Pradesh next month.

Unfolding its Mission 2024 plan, RSS has lined up a series of programmes to connect with Muslims in the two Telugu states. Senior RSS leader and MRM patron Indresh Kumar even addressed a meeting in the city on Sunday. He is expected to visit Telangana again later this month while Andhra Pradesh is on his itinerary for next month.

In 2010, Kumar had been questioned by the CBI in the Mecca Masjid blast of 2007. The RSS leader had consistently maintained that he was being falsely implicated in the case as part of a political controversy.

Though RSS has been holding interactive sessions with Muslims through MRM in north India, it is the first time that it has focused its attention on minorities in the two Telugu states. The MRM headquarters for Telangana and AP is located in Afzalgunj in Hyderabad and its area of operation is mainly in Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency, which has been represented by Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM for over three decades.

At Sunday’s meeting held in Old City , considered an MIM citadel, a couple of Muslim religious scholars, including Moulana Shaik Moinuddin Shah Qadri rubbed shoulders with Kumar. Though the meeting raised many an eyebrow and invited criticism from local Muslim leaders, MRM state convener M A Sattar told TOI that the response to the meeting addressed by ‘bhai saheb’ (Indresh Kumar) was “tremendous and unexpected”. RSS leader from Nagpur Virag Pachpore was also present.

“The fear about RSS should end. Muslims should listen to the RSS to know its stand on minorities,” said MRM state co-convener Syed Fayazuddin. “We will enrol more Muslims,” Sattar said adding, “This is an achievement as the meeting was held in the Old City.”

During the meeting, Kumar quoted verses from the Holy Quran to drive home his argument that no religion teaches terrorism and linking terrorism with Muslims was wrong. He also quoted Prophet Muhammad saying that the love for motherland is part of Islamic faith. Kumar told the Muslim gathering that the BJP government is committed to the welfare of Muslims.

Moulana Moinuddin Shah Qadri, unmindful of the flak he got from some community elders for attending the MRM meeting, said that his interaction with Indresh Kumar helped him clear the misunderstanding he had about the RSS and the BJP.

Fayazuddin said the immediate task of the MRM is to increase the membership in the Telugu states to at least 10,000 over the next few months. “Now that district committees have been formed in Telangana and proposed in AP, it is only a matter of time that the MRM would emerge as a formidable force in AP and Telangana in general and Hyderabad in particular,” he said.

BJP minority cell spokesperson Firasat Ali Baqri said the RSS had convened the meeting for the Id Milap. “The BJP had organised Iftar during Ramzan and now the RSS arranged Id Milap. This is to foster brotherhood in the country,” he said.

Speaking on the RSS’ move, TRS leader and Telangana Waqf Board chairman Mohammad Saleem said that the BJP cannot fool Muslims by speaking positively about them. “Minorities in India know the real face of the BJP and the Sangh Parivar. They will not back the BJP however hard it may try to woo them,” he said.

