(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Dec 5 (IANS) After Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a copy of the Bhagavad Gita to Russian President Vladimir Putin, CPI(M) leader Hannan Mollah on Friday stated that the PM wants to make the country a Hindu nation, hence feels the necessity to showcase what he considers to be the foundation of Hindutva.

Speaking to IANS, Hannan Mollah said,“Whoever has something will give that. If you have tea, you will offer tea; if you have coffee, you will serve coffee. He has the Gita, so he will present the Gita. He wants to create a Hindu nation, so he has to show what the foundation of Hindutva is.”

He further added,“PM Modi's Hindutva is different, and the Gita's Hindutva is different. The Gita's teachings do not promote conflict, but PM Modi's interpretation is based on communalism. Still, something has to be presented to a guest, so he has presented the Gita to him.”

PM Modi on Thursday presented a Russian translation of the Bhagavad Gita to President Putin, calling the scripture a source of inspiration for people around the world.

Taking to X, the Prime Minister shared an image showing him handing over the Russian edition of the Gita to President Putin, who arrived here on Thursday evening.

"Presented a copy of the Gita in Russian to President Putin. The teachings of the Gita give inspiration to millions across the world," PM Modi wrote.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed India-Russia ties, saying that the friendship between the two countries has remained like a pole star amidst the ups and downs faced by the world in the past 80 years.

While making a joint press statement with the Russian President following their talks at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Friday, PM Modi said that the ties between the two nations have stood the test of time and thanked Putin for his friendship and unwavering commitment to India, while recalling the efforts made by the Russian leadership to elevate bilateral ties.

"Today, I am delighted to welcome President Putin to the 23rd India-Russia Summit. His visit comes at a time when our bilateral relations are experiencing several historic milestones. 25 years ago, President Putin laid the foundation for our strategic partnership. 15 years ago, in 2010, our partnership was granted the status of a Special Privileged Strategic Partnership. For the past two and a half decades, he (President Putin) has nurtured this relationship with his leadership and vision.

"His (President Putin) leadership, under all circumstances, has elevated our ties to new heights. I express my heartfelt gratitude to President Putin, my friend, for this deep friendship and unwavering commitment to India. The world has seen many ups and downs over the past eight decades. Humanity has faced many challenges and crises, and amidst all this, the India-Russia friendship has remained like a pole star. This relationship, founded on mutual respect and deep trust, has always stood the test of time," he added.

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