Congress slams PM Modi's RSS tribute on I-day, calls it bid to 'block' his retirement
Congress leaders lashed out at PM Modi for speaking on the RSS, an organisation that didn't fight colonialism and spread hate and division
The Congress on Friday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for praising the right-wing organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in his Independence Day speech at the Red Fort. The Congress alleged that Modi, instead talking of heroes or freedom fighters spoke about the RSS in a attempt to stave off his own retirement.
And said it is a "desperate attempt" to cling to power while "dishonouring" the memory of martyrs and the spirit of our freedom movement.
The Congress has often called for PM Modi's "retirement" after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s remark that political leaders should step down at 75. Modi will reach that milestone on September 17 this year.
After PM Modi’s Independence day speech, Congress MP Manickam Tagore immediately tweeted that to please the RSS, PM Modi is reportedly “blocking the plan for his own retirement on Sept 17, 2025’.
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Further, he slammed the RSS saying as an organisation it did not fight colonialism but spread hate and division among fellow Indians, which led to 'Mahatma Gandhi being taken away from us’.
100 years of RSS
Calling the RSS the "world’s biggest NGO", PM Modi had hailed RSS for completing 100 years and described it as a "very proud and glorious" journey. The RSS will mark its centenary on Vijaya Dashami this October.
"For the past 100 years, the RSS sawayamsevaks (volunteers) have been dedicating their lives to fulfilling the resolve of 'vyakti nirman' (character development) and 'rashtra nirman' (nation building) for the welfare of 'matribhoomi' (motherland)," the Prime Minister said.
'Non-threat' to British
After his speech, Tagore immediately took a swipe at Modi pointing out that RSS had never played a direct role in the independence struggle and stayed away from mass protests like the Civil Disobedience Movement and Quit India Movement.
Also, the senior Congress leader added that KB Hedgewar, its (RSS) founder, had joined Congress protests before 1925. But after forming RSS, the focus shifted to cultural nationalism and they did not confront the British.
He quoted from British archival records to assert that the RSS was once deemed a “non-threat”, especially in contrast to the Congress and Subhash Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army (INA).
Spreading hate
“Even during Quit India in 1942, RSS chief Golwalkar advised members to avoid the movement... RSS's legacy is not of fighting colonialism - but of spreading hate and division among fellow Indians. It was this very ideology of hate that took away Mahatma Gandhi from us," Tagore further said.
Also read: How Sonia candidly sounded alarm on ‘ideological coup’ to remake IndiaMeanwhile, pointing out that Sardar Patel himself had banned the RSS, Congress leader and national spokesperson Supriya Shrinate hit out at PM Modi for speaking of RSS on a day dedicated to national unity. It should have been avoided, she added.