RSS chief should read Constitution, says Brinda Karat

Hitting out at Mohan Bhagwat for his remark that the population of 130 crore Indians are regarded as "Hindu society", CPM leader Brinda Karat on Thursday said that the RSS chief should read the country's Constitution.

"I would request Mohan Bhagwat to kindly read the Constitution of India. Of course, he does not accept the Constitution of India. But at least he should read the Constitution before making such statements. He is a responsible person. How can he make a statement which is dead against the Constitution?" Karat told ANI.

She said that the laws of the country determine who is Indian and not what Bhagwat says.

"Who is Mohan Bhagwat to say who is Indian or not? We care what the constitution of India says. The constitution defines who is Indian. Laws of the country define who is Indian not what Bhagwat says," Karat said.

Bhagwat on Wednesday said that India has traditionally been "Hindutvawadi" and that the Sangh regards the 130 crore population of the country as "Hindu society" irrespective of the diversity of religion and culture here.

"When RSS calls someone a Hindu then it means those people who consider India as their motherland and love it...The son of mother India, irrespective of what language he speaks, which religion he practices, whether he follows any form of worship or not, is a Hindu," he said at an event.

"So for the Sangh, all 130 crore people of India are a Hindu society. RSS considers everyone as their own and wants the development of everyone. Sangh wants to take everyone together," he added.