Thaindian News

Lucknow, Feb 9 (IANS) Donning skull caps and armed with RSS literature, small groups of Muslims here are on a campaign to preach the values of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh among members of their community.Under the banner of the Akhil Bharatiya Maha Sufi Sant Sewa Samiti (ABMSSSS), around 75 Muslims are on a door-to-door campaign to project “the spirit and values of RSS”.

“You can call our exercise a campaign to link Muslims with the RSS, an organisation that has undertaken several rehabilitation programmes in the country,” ABMSSSS president Mohammad Wahid Chisti told IANS.

Chisti, an editor of an Urdu daily, said that like him Muslims from different professional backgrounds were involved in the drive that started Sunday with RSS assistance.

“Though most of those associated with the campaign are Muslim clerics, small traders, students and social activists are also involved,” he said.

Chisti and his friends every morning fan out in different localities of the city to reach out to fellow Muslims. They hand over copies of a booklet published by the RSS.

“Initially, we present an overview of RSS to the Muslims and then provide them the booklets,” said Chisti.

“In our interaction, we emphasize the experiences shared by prominent personalities including Mahatma Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar and Zakir Hussain about the Sangh,” said Chisti.

RSS and ABMSSSS members said the campaign was finalised a few months ago.

RSS ‘pracharak’ Umesh Kumar told IANS: “Involvement of the Muslims has immensely helped us. Had we directly approached the Muslims, we would have faced difficulties.”