Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has once again said that India is a “Hindu nation” and does not need constitutional approval to be described as one. Speaking at an event in Kolkata on Sunday to mark 100 years of the RSS, Bhagwat said this belief is a “truth” and not something that requires legal validation.

Addressing the gathering at the ‘100 Vyakhyan Mala’ programme, Bhagwat compared the idea to natural facts. He said just as the sun rises in the east without anyone needing official approval, India being a Hindu nation is also a reality that does not require constitutional bbacking.

According to Bhagwat, India will remain a Hindu nation as long as people living in the country consider it their motherland and respect Indian culture and traditions. He said that even if there is just one person who values the legacy and history of India’s ancestors, the country continues to be a Hindu nation. He added that this belief forms the core ideology of the RSS.

Bhagwat also said that even if Parliament were to amend the Constitution and officially include the term “Hindu nation,” it would not make much difference to the RSS. He stated that the organisation does not depend on constitutional wording to define its beliefs. At the same time, he clarified that Hindutva does not support the caste system based on birth.

The RSS has long argued that India is a Hindu nation because of its cultural roots and the religious beliefs of the majority of its population. Bhagwat also pointed out that the word “secular” was not part of the original Constitution and was added later during the Emergency period in 1976.

During his speech, Bhagwat addressed criticism that the RSS is anti-Muslim. He urged people to visit RSS offices and attend its ‘shakhas’ to see the organisation’s work for themselves. He said the RSS operates transparently and has nothing to hide.

Bhagwat said many people now understand that the RSS focuses on organising and protecting Hindus and considers itself strongly nationalist, but it does not oppose Muslims. He added that those who are willing to learn and observe the organisation’s work are welcome, but people who refuse to understand cannot be helped. The comments come at a time when debates around religion, nationalism, and secularism continue to remain politically sensitive in India.