The Preamble to the Indian Constitution refers to India as a “Sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic”. However, J Nandakumar, a key RSS leader and All India Convenor Prajna Pravah, a Sangh offshoot, wants India to reconsider the inclusion of the word “secular”, claiming secularism is a “western, semitic concept”.

In an exclusive interview to IANS, Nandakumar said, “Secularism is a western, semitic concept. It came into existence in the West. It was actually against Papal dominance.”

He argued that India does not need a secular ethos as the nation has moved “way beyond secularism” since it believes in universal acceptance as against the western concept of tolerance.

The RSS functionary on Thursday, 2 January, released a book in Delhi named Hindutva in The Changing Times. The book launch event was also attended by senior RSS functionary Krishna Gopal.