New Delhi, 24 Dec (IANS): The Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) was founded on December 24, 2002, exactly 20 years ago. Those who started it included former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief K.S. Sudarshan, senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar, Muslim intellectuals Maulana Waheeduddin Khan and Haji Ilyasi, among others.
On the eve of its 20th foundation day on Friday, the Muslim Rashtriya Manch held an event to mark the occasion at the Aiwan-e-Ghalib auditorium here. Speaking at the event, MRM patron and RSS leader Indresh Kumar said that Pakistan should be answered in its own language, adding that there is no place for those who feel uneasy while living in their own land in India.
Earlier, an 11-minute film made by Shahid Sayeed, the national media in-charge of MRM, was shown, which depicted the 20-year journey of the Manch. To mark the occasion, Indresh Kumar unveiled the new logo of the Manch which depicts the map of united India.
Congratulating the workers and office-bearers associated with the Manch, Kumar said that if slogans are raised in Pakistan that it is incomplete without Kashmir, "no one can stop us from raising the slogan that India is incomplete without Lahore, Karachi and Nankana Sahib".
Kumar also claimed that parts of Balochistan and Sindh could be separated from Pakistan.
"Pakistan was separated from India in 1947 and Bangladesh was separated from Pakistan in 1971, but all these were once part of India. Today, many boundaries have been formed around India. We have to spend billions of rupees to protect the borders," he said.
Taking a dig at former Vice President Hamid Ansari, Kumar said that some 'intellectuals' say that there is a sense of restlessness and insecurity among Muslims in the country, whereas the truth is Muslims of this country were Indians and will always remain Indians only.
He also said that the BJP government has got rid of triple talaq and gave Muslim women the right to live with dignity by enacting a law.
Kumar said that the Muslim community was always seen as a vote bank, but the present government has talked about their rights and given them a chance to live with dignity.