For me, everything is equal: Acharya Chidanand on Madani's comment on Adam and Manu

New Delhi, Feb 13: Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind chief Syed Arshad Madani, who claimed on Sunday that Manu and Adam and 'Om' and Allah as the same, has found support in Acharya Chidanand.

"There is no point of agreement or disagreement with Madani's statement. I expressed my views in my own way. He has expressed his views in his own way. Whoever wants to listen will listen. I don't know what Lokesh Muni ji had in his mind and what he understood, or in what sense he has taken it," Swami Chidanand of Parmarth Niketan quoted him as saying.

He further stated, "I have taken Madani's point in such a way that I respect everyone. For me, everything is equal and I respect everyone. This is also said in the Constitution of our country. However, if one believes in the religion of Islam and describes its specialty, then he must tell. It is natural. He will tell its speciality."

However, Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha national president Chakrapani Maharaj has slammed Madani remarks equating Manu and Adam as one and the same. He said that Lord Vishnu appeared as a fish to save Manu. "He believes in Manu. Manu followed Sanatana dharma. Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of a fish to save him. That is why Maulana Madani becomes a Sanatani Hindu. Now he needs to showcase patriotism, chant Vande Mataram, and chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Because Hindus following Sanatan Dharma are patriots," he added.

Days after targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying India belongs to him as much as the PM, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind chief on Sunday triggered a controversy by equating Om with Allah.

Addressing a gathering at the three-day plenary session of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi, he said, "I asked dharma guru when there was no one, neither Shri Ram, nor Brahma, then whom did they use to worship? Some people told me that they used to worship Om. Then I told them that Om is called Allah by us, Ishwar by you (Hindus), Khuda by Farsi (Persian) speaking people and God by English speaking people,"

"This means that there is only one Om or Allah, and both are same, and it is the only thing Manu used to worship. There was no Shiv, no Brahma, but only one Om and Allah that was worshipped," Madani said. Addressing the session, Madani also said, "Hindus and Muslims have been living in the country like brothers for around 1400 years, and we have never forcedly converted anyone into Islam."

"It is only under the BJP government that we heard that 20 crore Muslims should be sent home. By sending them home, they meant converting them to Hindus. These people don't know anything about India's history," he added.