New Delhi, July 1 . Senior BJP leaders, including Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister Giriraj Singh, and MP Kiran Choudhary, today strongly criticised Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge for his repeated calls to ban the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (R.), reminding the Congress of the political fallout of a similar move during Indira Gandhi’s regime.
Referring to Kharge’s remarks, Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “When Indira Gandhi tried to ban the R., it backfired — she lost. Today, the R. is one of the largest organisations in the world. What can we even say about the Congress national president’s son? At least speak with an awareness of your own stature.”
Echoing the sentiment, Union Minister Giriraj Singh warned Kharge of repeating history, stating, “Yes, Mrs Indira Gandhi once banned the R. — and we all saw her downfall. Now they too will meet the same fate.”
Emphasising the Sangh’s contributions, Singh added, “During the 1971 war, floods and in every crisis, R. workers have been the first to help. Those who criticise them don’t even understand what the R. stands for.”
BJP MP Kiran Choudhary also lambasted the Congress minister’s comments, calling them “foolish and highly irresponsible.” She said such statements stem from deep ignorance. “The R. is made up of individuals completely devoted to the nation. They leave behind everything — even their homes — to serve the country and preserve its culture,” she said.
Describing the R. as a nationalist force, Choudhary asserted, “Anyone making such statements against them reveals their own lack of understanding. The R. deserves respect, not vilification.”
The BJP’s sharp rebuttal follows renewed political friction between the two parties, with Priyank Kharge’s comments reigniting a longstanding ideological battle over the role and legacy of the Sangh in Indian society.
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