RSS questions Nitish's 'secular PM' comments

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

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% 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.