Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has often been blamed by the Congress for indulging in anti-India activities. Congress leader Digvijay Singh and President Rahul Gandhi had been quite vocal in the past and quite recently too against RSS, blaming them for anything and everything wrong happening under the sun. From blaming the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for terror attacks carried out in India by Jihadi terrorist groups, to the anti-Sterlite protests which recently happened in Tamil Nadu, Congress leaders have tried to frame RSS time and again and have failed spectacularly every single time. The fascination of Congress leaders with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has its roots in the past. From calling RSS extremists to linking them with saffron terror and the famed book launch attended by Digvijay Singh, the book which blamed Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for the ghastly 26/11 attacks. Congress has also selectively quoted history in the past to suit its narrative, while Congress leaders thump their chests proclaiming Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had banned the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, they forget to mention that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had formally invited the RSS to join in the Republic Day celebrations. The Congress leaders of today simply lack the knowledge and experience needed to understand the functioning and importance of RSS in India.
In what is going to be a huge blow to such Congress leaders who leave no stone unturned in order to pin the blame on RSS, ex-President and former Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee has agreed to attend a function hosted by the RSS. Former President Pranab Mukherjee is going to address members of the RSS in its headquarters at Nagpur. Over 600 workers of the Third Year Sangha Shiksha Varg (SSV) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh will get a chance to listen to former President Pranab Mukherjee in person at the RSS headquarters on June 7.
According to an Indian Express article, a top Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh official when contacted confirmed the invite sent to the former President. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh official said, “We had extended an invitation to the former president to address RSS workers at our headquarters in Nagpur. He has accepted our invitation and will be present at the event.” RSS leader Rakesh Sinha added that, “Former President Pranab Mukherjee’s acceptance to attend RSS event in Nagpur sends a message to the country that on vital issues there should be dialogue and adversaries are not enemies. Questions raised on Hindutva are being answered by his acceptance of invitation.”
Both the statements have one thing in common- they point towards a shift in the way the former President now looks at RSS. It is a gentle rebuke for his earlier political party Congress as well; Mr. Mukherjee was the finance minister in the UPA-II regime as well. His acceptance to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh invite shows how the rest of India looks at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a notion which is very different from the one shared by Congress leaders.
The façade which had been built by the Congress for many years will come to a stop owing to the bold and courageous move of Mr. Mukherjee. The Congress might not like the decision made by its ex-senior leader, just like their disapproval when he had praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was the President of India. Pranab Mukherjee should be praised for maintaining his stance on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh by assenting to attend the function despite what the Congress leaders must have wanted him to do.