Stating that accepting diversity has been a unique quality of Indians, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today said, "We came to know that 'puja' (worship) is so important during the Islamic invasion of India." "We never thought puja is important.

We realised it is important during the invasion of Islam," Bhagwat said. "We were shocked when we were introduced to those who wanted to force their ways of worship on us," Bhagwat added during a lecture here tonight on the death anniversary of freedom fighter and Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar who had passed away in 1966.