Congress leader Digvijaya Singh’s comments on the organisational strength of the BJP and RSS continue to create a storm within the party and beyond. Singh’s remarks, which praised the RSS for its ability to build leaders from humble beginnings, have ignited fierce debate, with some Congress leaders supporting his view, while others, like Manickam Tagore, have sharply criticised the RSS, even comparing it to terrorist organisations.
On Saturday, Digvijaya Singh shared an old, undated photograph on X (formerly Twitter), showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi with BJP veteran LK Advani. In his post, Singh applauded the organizational strength of the RSS, claiming that it helped transform ordinary workers into political leaders.
He wrote, “I found this picture on Quora. It is very impactful. It shows how an RSS grassroots volunteer and a Jan Sangh/BJP worker, who once sat at the feet of leaders, went on to become a state’s chief minister and the country’s prime minister. This is the power of organisation.”
While Singh’s post was meant to highlight the success of the BJP and RSS in building strong leadership, it quickly sparked a fierce reaction within Congress, where many leaders felt his comments went too far.
Manickam Tagore takes aim at RSS, compares it to Al-Qaeda
Congress leader Manickam Tagore took the controversy to new heights with his harsh condemnation of the RSS. Reacting to Digvijaya Singh’s remarks, Tagore labeled the RSS as an organisation built on hatred, making a controversial comparison to the notorious terrorist group Al-Qaeda.
“The RSS is an organisation built on hatred, and it spreads hatred. There is nothing to learn from hatred. Can you learn anything from Al-Qaeda? Al-Qaeda is an organisation of hatred. It hates others. What is there to learn from that organisation?” Tagore said in an interview with ANI.
Tagore’s strong words escalated the conflict, drawing a clear line between those within Congress who supported Singh’s comments and those who were appalled by his praise for the RSS.
Shashi Tharoor on the controversy
While Tagore’s remarks drew sharp criticism, there were others within Congress who took a more nuanced view. Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor backed Digvijaya Singh’s comments, supporting the idea that Congress should learn from the organizational discipline seen in the BJP and RSS. Tharoor emphasizsd the need for greater cohesion and structure within the Congress party.
