Owaisi Counters PM Modi on RSS’s Role in Independence Struggle
HYDERABAD – All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi has vehemently rejected Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent claims about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) participation in India’s freedom struggle.
Speaking at a public event in Shaikpet, Hyderabad, Owaisi directly challenged the Prime Minister, asserting that not a single RSS member sacrificed their life for the country’s independence.
“The Prime Minister claimed that the RSS took part in the war for freedom. I was surprised… History shows that not a single RSS member lost their life fighting for the country. If someone can name one, I am willing to hear it,” Owaisi declared.
Historical Records and Ideological Criticism
Founder’s Involvement Predates RSS Formation
Owaisi noted that while RSS founder K.B. Hedgewar was involved in the freedom struggle—even supporting the Khilafat movement and being jailed for a year—this involvement was prior to the establishment of the RSS organization itself.
No Participation in Key Movements
Citing historical records and British archives, the AIMIM chief stressed that RSS members did not actively participate in the anti-colonial struggle, including the major movements of the 1930s and the Quit India Movement of 1942.
“The British archives clearly mention that RSS workers never took part in the war and posed no threat,” he said.
Opposition to the Constitution
Owaisi further criticized the RSS’s core ideology, referencing writings by its leaders that stand in opposition to the Indian Constitution:
- He recalled that RSS ideologue M.S. Golwalkar, in his book ‘A Bunch of Thoughts’, labelled religious minorities—specifically Christians, Muslims, and leftists—as “internal threats.”
- Owaisi stated that the Prime Minister’s praise for this ideology goes “against the Constitution and the principles of equality and secularism.”
PM Modi Praises RSS for Nation-Building
Owaisi’s sharp remarks come in response to Prime Minister Modi’s address during the centenary celebrations of the RSS in the national capital.
PM Modi had lauded the RSS for its long-standing commitment to nation-building, describing the organisation as a force that has “helped nurture and strengthen countless lives over the years.” He stated that the grand objective of the RSS “has been nation-building.”
Owaisi concluded by urging the Prime Minister to present accurate, factual accounts of history rather than endorsing the RSS’s version, thereby ignoring the immense sacrifices of countless other Indians.
Is RSS History A Subject Of Intense Debate? What Is RSS’ Role In India’s Freedom Struggle? explores the differing viewpoints on the RSS’s historical involvement, which is the central subject of the political debate highlighted by Owaisi.
