Efforts must be made to prevent religious conversions since they take people away from their roots, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has said at a gathering of religious leaders from Dalit and backward class communities.

Religious conversions result in exclusivity (and) take people away from their roots and origins. So we must try to prevent conversion, Bhagwat said at the assembly seen as a closed-door outreach event organised at Shri Shivasharan Madara Chennaiah ashram, a Dalit mutt (monastery) in Chitradurga region of Karnataka on Tuesday evening.

The event was presided over by Basavamurthy Madara Chennaiah of Madara Chennaiah ashram.

Bhagwat called for Hindu dharma to be interwoven into the society to remove inequalities that exist in peoples mind. The main problems of Hindu society such as untouchability, differences and inequality exist mainly in the mind. These problems do not exist in the scriptures, he asserted. These problems have existed in our minds for many generations and their solutions will also take time. We have to slowly work to remove them from our mind.

Bhagwats address to religious leaders from the Dalit community comes amid an attack on the caste system, and inequalities it has spawned, as well as on the RSS, by political leaders such as former chief minister Siddaramaiah of the Congress.

The Sangh, Bhagwat said, is more concerned with religion and spirituality than politics. Religious leaders are closer to the RSS than they are to politicians.

In society, some sections tend to be backward due to a loss of connection. It is our responsibility to keep all parts of the Hindu society integrated. Frequent meetings will facilitate this effort. This is what we call harmony the Sangh is trying to do this, Bhagwat said, according to quotes from his speech put out in Kannada by the RSS-linked Samvada website.

Originally posted here:

Focus on roots, prevent conversion: Mohan Bhagwat to Dalit religious leaders - The Indian Express