Hindu titans Mohan Bhagwat, K. Sudarshan, Ashok Singhal and Swamy Dayanand Saraswati blasted their critics saying an atmosphere was being created in India as if there existed nothing secular in the country except the government.

Sharing a platform to inaugurate Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy’s book ‘Hindutva And National Renaissance’ in New Delhi on Monday, they stood firm and united in asserting that national renaissance is synonymous with national values. “Can you separate Hindutva from renaissance?” asked RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, claiming India is identified by Hindutva.

The assembly of the Hindu leaders coincided with the ruling Congress party attacking the Rashtriya Swamsevak Sangh at its plenary session in the capital. Wikileaks also recently exposed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi telling the US envoy that Hindu radical groups were a bigger threat than Lashkar-e-Taiba.

“Hindutva teaches balancing. It is the truth with a very broad meaning, which has to be first understood by none other than the Hindus themselves,” Bhagwat said, adding, “It is mischievous to link Hindutva to communalism or terrorism.”

Bhagwat’s predecessor K. Sudarshan echoed his views and said there was no truth in the malicious campaigns that are launched against Hindutva by the vested interests. “The country is embracing Hindutva for it believes in growing together. We believe in peaceful co-existence of all the religions.”

Vishwa Hindu Parishad President Ashok Singhal said Hindutva grows of its own as it is not propagated but “naturally accepted” for its universal tolerance. “Do we then need to be taught what is secularism?” he wondered. “India has always been a spiritual country. It will remain one.”

Swamy Dayanand Saraswati of the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha was more caustic in his polite, humourous, scathing attacks: “Those who call Hindus as fundamentalists are mentalists.” The swamy spoke at length seeking to justify how Hindutva is a requirement of human being and added that he was yet to see a Hindu missionary or a Hindu evangelist anywhere. “Why Hindus be denied their right to say they are Hindus. Subramanian Swamy’s book has come at a time when the Hindus should realise they are Hindus. And if they realise, India will be safe.”

RSS earlier issued a press release Monday terming Congress’ attacks as irresponsible and without any basis. “Being besieged on all sides because of its own misdeeds, the Congress is levelling false allegations on the Sangh to divert the attention of the people,” it said. RSS, it said, believes the citizens have the wisdom and maturity not to fall for such tricks. “The Sangh has made it amply clear earlier also that it neither believes in nor supports any act of terrorism or violence”, the release said.