Bhagwat said the organisation has long believed that India is a ‘Hindu Nation’ because of its culture and the religious traditions followed by the majority of its people.

The incident took place in the Dera area of Kangra, where the shawl seller, who hails from Kupwara in north Kashmir, was allegedly forced to chant “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.”

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured a sweeping win in the Maharashtra municipal council and nagar panchayat polls, with the BJP emerging as the largest party.