Senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Dattatreya Hosabale on Tuesday said Hinduism is “supreme” and suggested that Muslims in India should adopt practices such as worshipping rivers, trees, and the Sun for environmental and health reasons. He made these remarks while addressing an event in Sant Kabir Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, which was attended by several Bharatiya Janata Party leaders.
Questioning objections to Hindu practices, Hosabale said, “What will go wrong for them? If our Muslim brothers also perform surya namaskar, what harm will come to them? It does not mean they will be stopped from going to the mosque.” He added, “Our Hindu religion is supreme. It speaks for everyone.”
Describing surya namaskar as a non-religious practice, Hosabale said it should be seen as scientific and health-oriented. “What harm will it do to Muslims? Is it wrong if those who offer namaz also do pranayama? We will not say that if you do this, you must give up namaz,” he said.
He further argued that practices linked to nature worship are part of India’s cultural tradition and beneficial for all communities. “If Muslims also worship rivers or trees from an environmental point of view, what is wrong in that? These traditions are connected to nature protection and collective well-being,” he said.
Hosabale claimed that the RSS does not consider any community its enemy and believes in inclusiveness for the welfare of society and the nation. Emphasising what he called “human religion,” he said, “People are free to follow any faith, but human values should come first.” He also made a brief reference to Partition, saying, “What happened to Hindus during Partition is known to everyone.”
The RSS leader said Hindu philosophy teaches non-violence towards all living beings and nature, and spoke of India’s cultural traditions, including naming children after deities. “Indian cultural roots are one. Ways of worship may be different, but religion is one — Sanatan,” he said, adding that Sanatan Dharma is a way of life and aims at the welfare of humanity.
Hosabale’s remarks have drawn criticism for projecting Hindu practices as a social and environmental norm and suggesting their acceptance by Muslims. His statement that Hinduism is “supreme” and that Muslims would still be “allowed” to go to mosques has been seen by critics as asserting religious superiority and pushing cultural assimilation.
The comments come months after Hosabale called for a debate on retaining the words “secular” and “socialist” in the Constitution’s Preamble, arguing they were added during the Emergency. That demand had triggered strong reactions from the opposition. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had then said, “The mask of the RSS has come off again. The Constitution troubles them because it talks about equality, secularism, and justice.”
