Washington, 10 September 2024 (TDI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has leveled accusations against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), alleging that the organization views certain religions, languages, and communities as inferior to others.
Gandhi, who is currently on a four-day visit to the United States, made these remarks during an address to an audience of Indian Americans in Herndon, a suburb of Washington DC, on Monday.
In his speech, Gandhi asserted that the current struggle in India transcends political disputes and revolves around the fundamental issue of equality.
“The real fight is not about politics; that’s superficial,” he said, addressing one of the Sikh attendees directly to emphasize his point.
“It’s about whether a Sikh can wear his turban or kada in India, or freely visit a Gurdwara. This is about the freedom for all religions,” he added.
Criticizing the RSS’s vision for India, Gandhi argued that the organization promotes the idea that certain states, languages, and communities are inferior.
“What the RSS essentially argues is that some states, languages, and communities are less significant than others. This is what our fight is about,” he said, mentioning various Indian languages like Tamil, Marathi, and Bengali.
He claimed that such ideologies influence political decisions and shape the discourse in the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha.
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Gandhi emphasized that India, as described in the Constitution, is a union of states, each with its unique history, tradition, and language.
“India, that is Bharat, is a union of states. It signifies a union of languages, traditions, and histories.
The RSS’s notion that only one entity, headquartered in Nagpur, holds supreme importance, is misguided,” he remarked.
Gandhi Criticizes BJP’s Approach
Gandhi further criticized the BJP’s approach, suggesting that it imposes a singular national identity and disregards the dual identities of people who live in both India and America.
“Our struggle is against spreading hatred and arrogance. We advocate for love, humility, and respect for all traditions, religions, languages, and communities,” he concluded.
Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the United States began in Dallas on September 7 and continued to Washington DC, where he has been engaging with the Indian-American community and addressing various issues concerning India’s socio-political landscape.
