New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was criticized by opposition parties on Friday for praising the RSS in his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort, calling it “deeply regrettable” and “most troubling”.A frantic attempt to placate the Sangh ahead of his 75th birthday, the Congress called it a “breach” of the spirit of the constitutional and secular republic. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s comments that leaders should give younger leaders an opportunity when they reach 75 years old were cited by the Congress. Many in the opposition believe that Bhagwat’s comments are directed at Prime Minister Modi.
“Today, the PM was exhausted. Soon he will be retired, “Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said and slammed the prime minister’s speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort as” stale, hypocritical, insipid “, claiming he recycled his oft-repeated slogans of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ with” little “to show as measurable outcomes.”The PM’s name-checking of the RSS from the Red Fort’s ramparts was the most concerning aspect of his speech today; it was a flagrant violation of the ethos of a secular, constitutional republic.
In a post on X, AICC general secretary for media Ramesh stated, “It is nothing but a desperate attempt to appease the organization in the run-up to his 75th birthday next month.” “He is now completely at their mercy and dependent on Mohan Bhagwat’s good offices for the prolongation of his tenure after September, having been decisively weakened following the events of June 4th, 2024. Our democratic spirit is severely weakened by this politicization of Independence Day for organizational and personal benefit, Ramesh stated.
The BJP rejected the Congress’s accusation, claiming that the philosophy of the RSS is currently influencing public opinion in India. Amit Malviya, the head of the BJP’s IT department, recalled that Jawaharlal Nehru, the nation’s first prime minister, had referred to the RSS as a nationalist organization and invited it to participate in the Republic Day parade in 1963. He responded to Congressman Jairam Ramesh’s criticism on X by saying, “It is appropriate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentions the RSS from the Red Fort as it marks its 100th anniversary.”
According to Malviya, “India’s public discourse today is shaped by RSS ideology, while the Congress is detached not only from the realities of our times but also from Nehru himself.” Akhilesh Yadav, the head of the Samajwadi Party, struck a subtle jab at the RSS after Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised it, stating that it should congratulate the British on reaching the 100-year mark because they created several organizations to split the nation along religious lines. “They ought to keep in mind their very first meeting and the fact that the seculars and socialists will pave the road going forward. The BJP itself made the decision to adopt a secularist stance. “Secularism and the RSS ideology are not compatible,” Yadav stated.
In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the RSS and referred to it as an organization with a “dubious historical record,” which the Marxist Communist Party of India said was “deeply regrettable.” According to CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was outlawed after Mahatma Gandhi was killed, and historians have shown that the group was responsible for “inciting communal riots.”
The prime minister “has dishonoured the memory of our martyrs” by applauding the RSS, he claimed, adding that “this is profoundly unacceptable and shameful”. “Prime Minister Modi’s decision to commend the RSS, an organization with a questionable past, during his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort is extremely regretful. An organization that has continuously attempted to erode national unity along religious lines and had no part in these conflicts,” he stated.
The “world’s biggest NGO” celebrated its 100th anniversary on Friday, and Prime Minister Modi praised all of its volunteers for their devoted devotion to the country, calling it a “very proud and glorious” journey. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was founded 100 years ago, and I would want to proudly highlight this today. Modi, a former RSS pracharak, remarked, “Its 100 years of national service has been a very proud and glorious page.” “From the ramparts of the Red Fort today, I respectfully remember all the swayamsevaks who have contributed to these 100 years of national service,” he said.
According to the prime minister, the RSS, “which is in a way the biggest non-government organization (NGO) in the world,” is known for its service, dedication, organization, and unmatched discipline. In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Modi discussed the RSS in detail for the first time. Having been an RSS ‘pracharak’ for many years, Modi has already hailed the organization and used the occasion to emphasize its history since its first founding in 1925. The BJP and the RSS are associated, and members of the RSS hold important positions within the party.
