No need for Constitution to certify reality, says Mohan Bhagwat on India as Hindu nation

At an RSS event, Mohan Bhagwat says India’s Hindu identity is civilisational and not dependent on constitutional wording

PGurus Newsdesk

December 22, 2025

RSS chief says India’s Hindu identity is beyond Constitution

Bhagwat says constitutional wording does not define civilisational identity

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday reiterated the organisation’s long-held view that India is a Hindu nation, stating that such an identity does not require constitutional approval as it reflects a civilisational reality.

Addressing an event marking 100 years of the RSS at the ‘100 Vyakhyan Mala’ programme in Kolkata, Bhagwat said India is, and will remain, a Hindu nation as long as Indian culture continues to be valued and upheld.

“The sun rises in the east; we don’t know since when this has been happening. Do we need constitutional approval for that as well? Hindustan is a Hindu nation,” Bhagwat said. He added that anyone who considers India their motherland and appreciates Indian culture contributes to that identity.

According to Bhagwat, the RSS believes that as long as there is even one person in India who cherishes the legacy of Indian ancestors, the country remains a Hindu nation. He described this belief as a core element of the organisation’s ideology.

Referring to the Constitution, Bhagwat said that whether or not Parliament chooses to explicitly include the term does not affect the RSS’s position. “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,” he said.

He also clarified that birth-based caste hierarchy is not a defining feature of Hindutva, distancing the concept from social discrimination.

The RSS has consistently argued that India is a Hindu nation based on its cultural foundations and the religious affiliations of the majority of its population. The word ‘secular’ was added to the Preamble of the Constitution through the 42nd Constitutional Amendment in 1976 during the Emergency.

Bhagwat also addressed perceptions about the organisation, urging people to visit RSS offices and attend its ‘shakhas’ to understand its activities firsthand.

He said the organisation’s functioning is transparent and that it does not promote hostility towards Muslims. “People have understood that we organise Hindus, advocate for their protection, and are staunch nationalists, but not anti-Muslim,” he said.

Bhagwat added that individuals unwilling to engage or learn about the RSS cannot be persuaded otherwise, but those interested should observe the organisation’s work directly to form their own conclusions.

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