Mansooruddin Faridi/New Delhi

Hinduism is not a Hindu civilization; it is not a religious civilization but a common civilization. Believers of different religions and castes live on this land; the commonality between them is the civilization. This is what we have come to know as Hindutva. It is a beautiful picture that reflects the country's communal harmony.

These views were expressed by Dr. SN Pathan, former Vice Chancellor of Nagpur University, while speaking with Awaz-the-Voice after the launch of his book  Hindutva means Indian unity. Not Muslim hatred by RSS chief Mohan Bhagat in Mumbai.

Dr. Pathan said that it is the beauty of India that it has given opportunity to every religion to flourish. Be it Islam or Christianity; every religion was adopted and preserved by its land.

Dr. Pathan says that the real India lives in villages and there Hindus, Muslims and people of other religions live peacefully. They join each other's festivals and do share their joys and pains.

He further says that in every village there is a shrine where both Muslims and Hindus do visit to pay their obeisance. If the theory of Hindus hating Muslims was correct then it would not be happening year after year.

Dr. Pathan recalled that during his days as the Vice Chancellor of Nagpur University, there was a Congress government at the center. “At the same time, I became very close to Sudarshan Sahib. The reason was their (RSS members’) morals values and love. It was a sign of his humility that when he called me for the first time he said he was coming to meet me.

Dr. Pathan said he would regularly visit his official residence to speak on various topics. “It was Sudarshan Ji who played an important role in changing my views about the Sangh.” He says.

Dr. Pathan's book is in Marathi and is translated by Mohammad Azhar Hayat. Hayat is the principal of Anjuman Girls College of Arts, and author of 10 books.

He says that Dr. Pathan has been getting help from Hindu neighbours and friends at every critical and important stages of his life. He has never felt any helplessness. When he lived in the village, his Hindu neighbuors were the first to celebrate his academic success.

Dr Pathan was born to parents who worked at construction sites - his father was a mason and mother an unskilled labourer,

In this situation, he received a lot of help from people in his village for his studies and otherwise too

He says the same harmony and coexistences continues to exist in villages even today.

Azhar Hayat says that while translating this book, I realized that Dr. Pathan wants us to trust each other. Muslims in particular should not doubt anyone's intentions without proof. We must live in an atmosphere of love, sincerity and brotherhood.

Muhammad Azhar Hayat says that the book highlights the importance of Indian civilization. It says that Hindutva is not the name of the civilization of any one religion but the essence of a common civilization. In which Indian-ness is cloaked.