Congress wants to connect people through hatred, its earlier generations too tried to stop us: RSS

RSS joint general secretary Manmohan Vaidya on Monday said the Congress’ attempts to ‘unite’ the country will not succeed if it continues to harbour “contempt and hatred” for the RSS at a time when hindutva is finding overwhelming support in the country.

He said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s forefathers too had the same hostility to the RSS which is why they had banned the organisation for “no fault of its”.

“But we continued to grow because society supported us, and that will happen even now. We welcome anyone doing work for the country and anyone working to unite it, but the person has to at least understand the ethos of the country..,” he said, addressing a press meet after a samanway meeting of the RSS in Raipur.


In the past 96 years, the RSS has been banned thrice — 1948, 1975 and 1992. In 1948, the organisation was banned after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, in 1975 it was banned during Emergency. In 1992, it was banned after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

Vaidya’s response came hours after the Congress tweeted a picture of a burning pair of khaki shorts –– part of the RSS uniform –– saying, “To free the country from the shackles of hate and undo the damage done by BJP-RSS. Step by step, we will reach our goal”. The party was referring to its ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra –– a 150-day mass contact programme led by Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi himself has been critical of the RSS during the yatra blaming the organisation for using a divisive ideology to create differences among people.

The RSS’ national coordination meeting was attended by Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat, its sarkaryavah (general secretary) Dattatreya Hosabale and BJP president JP Nadda.

Vaidya reiterated the RSS’ stance to bring in a national population policy keeping in mind the needs of the country 50 years from now.

BJP too reacted sharply to the post by Congress. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra asked the Congress to immediately take down the post, saying there is no room for violence in India’s constitutional scheme of things. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the tweet represents “the shameful mindset” of Congress.