Union Minister Giriraj Singh launched a scathing attack on former Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his comments about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the United States. Singh accused Gandhi of being a ‘traitor’ and said that he would need to ‘take many births’ to understand the RSS, which he claimed is rooted in Indian values and culture. Singh’s remarks came in response to Gandhi’s speech to the Indian diaspora in Texas, where he criticized the RSS’s ideology, stating that the BJP’s ideological parent believes in ‘one idea of India’ while the Congress champions a ‘multiplicity of ideas.’
Singh’s reaction was echoed by other BJP leaders, who also criticized Gandhi’s comments. BJP National Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused Gandhi of having a ‘habit’ of insulting India and suggested that his criticism of the country’s legal system and predictions of social tension were part of a ‘divide and rule’ strategy.
BJP leader Amit Malviya also joined in the criticism, sarcastically commenting on Congress leader Sam Pitroda’s statement that Gandhi’s high level of education and strategic thinking make him difficult to understand. Malviya retorted that Gandhi’s frequent ‘bloopers’ are what truly make him stand out.
The controversy highlights the long-standing political rivalry between the BJP and Congress, with the RSS serving as a key ideological foundation for the BJP. Gandhi’s remarks, made on foreign soil, have once again brought to the forefront the ongoing debate about India’s political and social fabric and the role of different ideologies in shaping the country’s future.
