Digvijaya Singh Post on RSS Triggers Congress Discomfort, Hands BJP Fresh Ammunition
A decades-old photograph shared by senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has set off an unexpected political flare-up, drawing the Congress into an internal damage-control exercise and offering the BJP a fresh opportunity to question the Opposition’s coherence.
On Saturday, Singh posted an image from 1995 showing Narendra Modi seated on the floor near then BJP chief L K Advani. Accompanying the photograph was a remark praising the organisational structure of the RSS and BJP, with Singh suggesting that their system allows workers to rise from the grassroots to the highest offices.
The post stood out sharply against the Congress party’s long-standing ideological opposition to the RSS, triggering swift reactions from within and outside the party.
Congress Responds With Unease and Clarifications
Several Congress leaders quickly distanced themselves from Singh’s comments. One senior leader rejected any comparison with the RSS, linking the organisation to Nathuram Godse and stating that the Congress had nothing to learn from it.
Shashi Tharoor reinforced that view, pointing to the Congress’s century-old political tradition as proof that the party did not require organisational lessons from its ideological rivals.
Party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate accused the BJP of selectively amplifying Singh’s words to manufacture controversy. She said the Congress had built mass movements during the freedom struggle and had no reason to seek validation from the RSS.
A Section of Leaders See a Different Angle
Not all voices within the Congress struck the same tone. Veteran leader Salman Khurshid said Singh’s remarks should be read as an observation about organisational efficiency, not ideological endorsement. He maintained that Singh, like the party, firmly rejects the RSS’s worldview.
Alka Lamba said political parties must objectively study where opponents draw their strength from, without compromising core beliefs. Rajasthan leader Sachin Pilot dismissed reports of factional unease, while MP Rajani Patil claimed Singh’s remarks had been taken out of context.
Opposition Moves In
The controversy soon spilled beyond the Congress. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut questioned Singh’s apparent shift, recalling his earlier attacks on the RSS in Parliament. He asked what had prompted the change in tone.
The BJP wasted little time framing the episode as evidence of confusion within the Congress leadership, using the remarks to sharpen its critique of the Opposition.
Singh Draws a Clear Line
As the backlash grew, Digvijaya Singh issued a clarification. He said his comment was confined to organisational discipline and did not signal any softening of his political stance.
“I have only spoken about the strength of organisation. I continue to oppose the RSS and Prime Minister Modi and their policies,” Singh said.
A Larger Question for the Congress
While the controversy revolves around a single post, it has exposed a sensitive fault line within the Congress — between acknowledging political realities and maintaining ideological clarity. At a time when every statement faces intense scrutiny, even historical references now carry present-day consequences.
Whether the episode remains a brief distraction or forces deeper introspection within the party is a question the Congress may not be able to avoid for long.
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