Congress Chief Calls for RSS Ban: Escalating Political Tensions in India

New Delhi:

The tension between the Congress and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the BJP, has heightened following Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's statement advocating for a ban on the organization. Unusually, the RSS has issued a response, asserting that the organization has been "accepted" by the country.

"An organization that works for the security, development, culture, unity of the country - a political leader is asking for its ban. But he would not say why," remarked Dattatreya Hosabale of the RSS. "He (Kharge) tried this earlier too. What was the result? The society has accepted the Sangh and the government has also concluded that the bans were illegal and decided accordingly. I think such a leader should take things in a sensitive manner," he further stated.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge recently attributed the deteriorating law and order situation to the RSS and BJP. He suggested that if Prime Minister Narendra Modi genuinely respects Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's views, he should ban RSS, noting that Patel had previously imposed such a ban.

"These are my personal views and I openly say that there should be one (a ban on the RSS). If PM respects the views presented by Vallabhbhai Patel, this should be done. All the wrongs in the country and all law and order issues here are due to BJP and RSS," Kharge asserted.

Previously, the Congress chief's son and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, known for his strong stance against the RSS, had urged state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to prohibit RSS activities in government schools, colleges, and state-owned temples. He accused the organization of "brainwashing young minds" and promoting ideologies that contradict constitutional values.

When asked about this matter, Congress's Rashid Alvi commented, "It is not so that someone wants that RSS be banned".

In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Alvi explained that when Vallabhbhai Patel banned the RSS and its leaders approached him requesting the ban be lifted, the then home minister imposed several conditions.

"One of the conditions was that you (RSS) will not do politics in the country. It would be a social organization. Now you are doing politics in the country. You will not destroy the secular fabric of the country. But you are destroying the secular fabric of the country. You have not been following those conditions, your commitment," he elaborated.

When reminded that these conditions were imposed long ago, Alvi insisted that the RSS remains unchanged: "They are misguiding the nation. They are exploiting religion. Every second day they say it is a Hindu Rashtra. It is not a new RSS," he concluded.