Amid growing social distance, mutual distrust and incidents of hatred across the country, the Muslim Rashtriya Manch has sent a strong message for a major social campaign from the national capital.
At a conference held at Gandhi Smriti Darshan in Rajghat, participants resolved to take the ‘Aao Jadon Se Judein’ (Connect with Your Roots) campaign forward across the country.
The central message of the conference was clear: the methods of worship, religious beliefs and traditions of people living in India may be different, but their motherland, national identity and shared heritage connect them with one another.
Social, academic and religious representatives attending the programme said that if society is to be brought out of hatred and tension, the solution cannot come only through political debate. It must also come through direct dialogue among people and by strengthening social relationships.
A large number of participants resolved to strengthen the idea of India, Indian identity and Indianness and to promote brotherhood and harmony across society.
Indresh Kumar’s Message
Indresh Kumar, guide of the Muslim Rashtriya Manch and senior RSS leader, chaired the programme.
In his address, Indresh Kumar emphasised the need for Indian society to understand its roots, history and shared heritage. He said that a person’s religion may be a matter of faith and their method of worship may be different, but this does not erase their Indian identity.
Indresh Kumar said that people living on the soil of India have shared relationships and a common way of life for centuries. Therefore, society should look for those things that bring people together rather than promote issues that create distance between them.
“We were Hindustanis, and we are Hindustanis. The test of this journey has to be faced by us every day, 24 hours a day,” Indresh Kumar said.
Indresh Kumar emphasised that Indianness is not merely something to be spoken about; it must be reflected in one’s conduct, thinking and responsibility towards society.
Knowing One’s Roots
Explaining the objective of the ‘Aao Jadon Se Judein’ campaign, Indresh Kumar said that every person should know about their family, ancestors and genealogy, or shijra. He said that when a person knows who their ancestors were, where they lived and what their social and cultural heritage was, their connection with their soil and society becomes stronger.
Indresh Kumar clarified that knowing one’s roots does not mean belittling another religion or community. Instead, it is a process of understanding one’s own identity and respecting one’s heritage.
Indresh Kumar said that to make India free from riots, untouchability, pollution, illiteracy and unemployment, society must strengthen love, dialogue, brotherhood and peace in place of hatred.
Connecting Hearts
Indresh Kumar sought to remove any misunderstanding about the campaign and said that ‘Aao Jadon Se Judein’ is not a campaign for religious conversion. He said the objective is to help the people of India understand their shared heritage, respect one another’s faith and beliefs, and strengthen Indian unity.
Indresh Kumar questioned how long society would remain trapped in the politics of hatred and conflict. He appealed to people to keep political differences separate from social and human relationships and not allow political disagreements to weaken bonds between people.
Indresh Kumar also called for greater participation in the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ and ‘Ghar-Ghar Tiranga’ campaigns being observed from August 1 to 15, saying that the Tricolour does not belong to any particular political party or community but represents the shared identity of the entire nation.
Shahid Akhtar’s Message
At the conference, Dr Shahid Akhtar, Officiating Chairman of NCMEI, emphasised the national identity and shared heritage of Indian Muslims.
“One community, one homeland—Hindustan. Our ancestors were all one. We were Indians, we are Indians and we will remain Indians,” he said.
Dr Shahid Akhtar said that Indianness is not merely a word but a sentiment that connects hundreds of millions of people.
People of different religions, languages and traditions have shaped India’s civilisation by living together for centuries, and this shared heritage has strengthened the country.
Dr Shahid Akhtar said that the need of the hour is to strengthen the voices of humanity, unity and integrity in the face of the hatred and distrust spreading in society.
According to him, India can move forward by respecting every individual’s religious identity while keeping national unity paramount.
Shahid Akhtar said that recognising one’s roots and ancestors and identifying oneself with one’s soil and homeland is the mark of a truly good and better human being.
“Our first identity is not defined by caste, sect or religion, but by the fact that we are children of this great nation. First and foremost, we are Hindustanis. A person who knows their roots understands their responsibilities; a person who loves their homeland builds bridges of brotherhood, not walls of hatred. Let us recognise our heritage, honour our ancestors and say with one voice—our identity is one, our homeland is one, and first and foremost, we are Hindustanis,” he noted.
Tahir Hussain’s Appeal
Dr Tahir Hussain, National Convenor of the ‘Aao Jadon Se Judein’ campaign, introduced the theme of the conference and said that the initiative is not limited to any particular section or community but is a campaign concerning the entire Indian society. He said that the greatest force weakening society is an ideology that pits people against one another.
Therefore, the campaign seeks to counter divisive thinking and forces that create distance among people in the name of religion, caste, language or region.
Dr Tahir Hussain said that knowing one’s roots has real meaning only when it increases respect for the country, society and fellow citizens. He made a special appeal to young people to remain cautious about rumours and hateful content circulating on social media and to help take society forward on the basis of facts, dialogue and wisdom.
Shalini Ali’s Message
Dr Shalini Ali, National Convenor of the campaign, described ‘Aao Jadon Se Judein’ as an important initiative for promoting social dialogue and mutual trust. She said India’s greatest strength lies in its diversity, and this diversity should be seen not as a weakness but as a strength of the nation.
Dr Shalini Ali said that when people from different communities communicate with one another and understand each other’s history and traditions, misunderstandings decrease and trust grows.
According to her, society cannot achieve social peace through law alone. Continuous dialogue is also necessary at the level of families, schools, society and communities.
Dr Shalini Ali described Indian identity as a common foundation capable of bringing together people with different religious and cultural identities.
Mahrukh Mirza’s Message
Prof Mahrukh Mirza, former Vice Chancellor of Khwaja Garib Nawaz University, emphasised humanity and our shared human heritage in his address. He said that when people see someone in distress, they should not first ask about the person’s caste or religion.
What matters first is that they are a human being in need of help.
Prof Mahrukh Mirza said the beauty of Indian society lies in the fact that people belonging to different beliefs and traditions can stand together for one another.
Referring to the story of Adam and Eve in the context of the common origins of humanity, Prof Mahrukh Mirza said that strengthening the idea of a shared human identity that connects all people is the need of the hour. His message was that if Indians stand with one another in times of happiness and sorrow, the ground for those seeking to spread hatred in society will automatically become weaker.
Shared Roots
Speakers at the conference repeatedly clarified that knowing one’s roots does not mean distancing oneself from another community or changing anyone’s religious identity. It means understanding one’s family history, ancestors, culture and Indian identity while respecting the identity of others as well.
Speakers said India’s strength lies in the fact that numerous religions, languages, castes and traditions coexist here.
Therefore, the message of ‘Connect with Your Roots’ should not be about building walls but about building bridges.
When people are confident about their own identity and respect the identity of others, dialogue replaces confrontation and trust replaces suspicion.
Social Concerns
The conference also highlighted that India must be freed not only from communal tensions but also from discrimination, illiteracy, unemployment and social inequality.
Speakers said brotherhood can become stronger only when every section of society receives equal opportunities for education, dignity and employment.
People cannot counter hatred through speeches alone. They must challenge it through work that improves lives on the ground.
With this approach, the speakers emphasised taking the campaign to different sections of society and increasing dialogue among people.
Campaign Support
Swami Dineshanand Maharaj also spoke about the importance of national identity and citizenship. He said every individual may have their own personal and religious identity, but national identity connects everyone in a common bond.
National Convenor of the Manch Mohammad Afzal, Tusharkant Hindustani, Girish Juwal, Maulana Juruddin, Prof Asif Malik, Advocate Ghulam Sahib, Prof Geeta Singh, Major General Javed Sahib, Prof Mary and Musa Khan Sanatani Muslim, among other speakers, also expressed support for the objectives of the campaign and emphasised the need to strengthen social unity and mutual brotherhood.
Message From Rajghat
The strongest message emerging from the conference was that strengthening India requires people to remember the relationships and values that connect them.
The ‘Aao Jadon Se Judein’ campaign is preparing to take this message to different parts of the country. Its foundation is the belief that an individual’s religious faith may be different, their method of worship may be different, and their social traditions may also differ, but the country, Constitution, citizenship and motherland are shared.
The voice emerging from Rajghat sought to convey that the answer to hatred is not hatred, but dialogue, respect and brotherhood.
If the process of understanding one’s roots brings people closer to one another, the initiative can become more than just a campaign – it can become an important step towards strengthening social trust and harmony across the country.
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