Dear Zohran Mamdani, here are some things you may not know about Mohan Bhagwat

Dear Mr. Mamdani, this response addresses your remarks about Mohan Bhagwat, the head of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), India's largest Hindu organization. Though I share your concerns about the RSS's opposition to Muslims in India, there are several important facts about Bhagwat that you should know. I am a secular and liberal Indian, having been one of the three mediators during the Ayodhya-Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute in 2019, which was the most significant flashpoint of conflict between India's Muslims and Hindus.

The dispute began in 1949 when Hindu zealots installed a Ram Lalla idol in the mosque. Another flashpoint was the mob attack in 1992 that demolished the mosque. Eventually, an agreement was reached, and the issue was settled without any loss of life, although the final decision was influenced by Muslim concerns about their right to protection at other places of worship.

Mohan Bhagwat played a crucial role in ensuring there was no celebration or jubilation in response to the resolution, and he emphasized that the RSS was only focused on building the Ram Mandir without targeting other mosques.

In the Gyanvapi Mosque case in Varanasi, where a Shivling was discovered on the premises and claimed to have been a temple, the Supreme Court faced a difficult decision. While Chandrachud, who also delivered the judgment in the Babri Masjid case, affirmed the basic structure of the Constitution and the sanctity of places of worship, he also left the matter open by questioning whether the site was a mosque or a temple.

In response, Bhagwat urged caution against searching for Shivlings in every mosque, which helped maintain harmony.

Since then, Bhagwat has expressed the importance of communal harmony rooted in Indian scriptures and teachings. While I understand your antipathy towards the RSS, it is essential for you, and for Bhagwat, to engage in dialogue while he is in your country.