RSS bats for Narendra Modi

In an apparent attack on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his "prime minister should have secular credentials" remark, the RSS has batted for Narendra Modi, saying such comments are being made for vote-bank politics and minority appeasement.

Soon after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's comments last week that a Hindutva face can become the PM, the Sangh's mouthpiece Panchajanya sought to know why there is an aversion for Hindutva in a country where 85 per cent of the population is Hindu.

"What is the meaning of saying prime minister of the country should be secular? Our Constitution makers did not give any such 'distinguished identity' to the prime minister's post, perhaps because they believed that India has always stood for eternal values, religion and culture, and the basis of our society and national life is the feeling of all-inclusiveness and mutual existence," the editorial of Panchajanya said.

Though the mouthpiece did not name Kumar or his party JD(U) and targeted the Congress, the barbs seen at aiming the NDA ally of BJP. Kumar had virtually ruled out Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as an NDA prime ministerial candidate last week when he said the PM should have secular credentials and should be acceptable to all allies.

The Panchajanya editorial further states that a prime minister's responsibility as head of the central government is to protect the democratic values and protect the rights of all without any discrimination.

"But in contrast to this, efforts are being made to give the prime minister a 'secular' identity. Harmony between all sects is a distinct feature of Hindu philosophy in India. To treat this Hindutva as communal and to make secularism an instrument for gaining power is nothing more than politics of convenience," the editorial said.

It further states that these politicians who are trying to woo the en bloc Muslim vote are seen cursing Hindutva and declaring all talk of Hindu well-being as communal.

"Leaders who are eager to establish a secular rule by laying atrocities on Hindus should be asked why India should not have a government and a prime minister who is concerned about the majority Hindus. Such an administration and prime minister will definitely be inspired by Hindu life values, traditions and ideals to work with the feeling of unhindered progress of all sects and groups and for their happiness," the editorial said.

It laments that vote-bank politics has divided the country into minority-majority, communal-secular, castes and sects. It further states that instead of finding ways of bridging this gap, conspiracies are being hatched to deepen these fissures for gaining power.

"Why do these secular forces have such aversion to Hindutva? Only for the sake of getting votes and power?" it said.