India is a Hindu nation, constitution approval not required: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

Reiterating the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s long-held position, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday asserted that India is a “Hindu nation” and said this reality does not require constitutional validation, describing it as an unquestionable truth.

Speaking at an event commemorating 100 years of the RSS, Bhagwat said India has been, and will continue to be, a Hindu nation as long as Indian culture is respected and upheld in the country.

“The Sun rises in the east; we don't know since when this has been happening. So, do we need constitutional approval for that too? Hindustan is a Hindu nation. Whoever considers India their motherland appreciates Indian culture, as long as there is even one person alive on the land of Hindustan who believes in and cherishes the glory of Indian ancestors, India is a Hindu nation. This is the ideology of the Sangh,” he said while addressing the ‘100 Vyakhyan Mala’ programme of the RSS in Kolkata.

Bhagwat further remarked that the inclusion or exclusion of the term in the Constitution was immaterial to the organisation’s belief system. “If Parliament ever decides to amend the Constitution and add that word, whether they do it or not, it's fine. We don't care about that word because we are Hindus, and our nation is a Hindu nation. That is the truth. The caste system based on birth is not the hallmark of Hindutva,” he added.

The RSS has consistently maintained that India is a Hindu nation based on its civilisational roots and the religious affiliations of the majority population. The word ‘secular’ was not part of the original Preamble of the Constitution and was inserted along with ‘socialist’ through the Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act, 1976, during the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Bhagwat also called upon people to visit RSS offices and attend its ‘shakhas’ to better understand the organisation’s functioning and dispel what he described as false notions of it being “anti-Muslim”.

According to him, public perception about the RSS has evolved, with many recognising it as an organisation committed to protecting Hindu interests and promoting nationalism, but not hostility towards Muslims.

“If there is a perception that we are anti-Muslim, then, as I said, the RSS work is transparent. You can come anytime and see for yourself, and if you see anything like that happening, then you keep your views, and if you don't see then you change your views. There is a lot to understand (about RSS), but if you don't want to understand then no one can change your mind,” Bhagwat said.

He added that individuals unwilling to engage or learn could not be persuaded otherwise.

“After seeing, people have said that you are staunch nationalists. You organise Hindus, and you advocate for the protection of Hindus. But you are not anti-Muslim. Many people have accepted this, and those who want to know more should come and see the RSS for themselves,” he said.