Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has once again stirred a political controversy, this time with a social media post that appeared to praise the organisational strength of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The unexpected move, coming from one of the BJP-RSS's most vocal critics, has triggered intense speculation and exposed fissures within the grand old party.
The Controversial Post and Immediate Backlash
On Saturday, the Rajya Sabha member shared a 1996 photograph featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi with senior BJP leader L.K. Advani. In his post on X, Singh highlighted the "power of organisation," noting how grassroots workers of the RSS and the erstwhile Jan Sangh rose to hold positions like Chief Minister and Prime Minister. He concluded the post with "Jai Siya Ram," a salutation that raised eyebrows given his history of controversial remarks.
The timing of the post was particularly intriguing as it coincided with a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting. The post was tagged to the party's top leadership as well as Prime Minister Modi, adding layers to the intrigue. As expected, it drew swift and sharp criticism from within his own party.
Congress leader Pawan Khera vehemently rejected any notion of learning from the RSS, asking, "What can an organisation known for Godse teach an organisation founded by Gandhi?" Congress MP Manickam Tagore echoed this sentiment, labelling the RSS a "hate-driven organisation" from which there is nothing to learn.
Defence and Divergent Interpretations
Despite the criticism, several Congress leaders came to Singh's defence, arguing that the core message was about strengthening the party's own organisation. They pointed to his unwavering commitment to the Congress and his longstanding anti-RSS stance.
Senior leader Salman Khurshid urged context, stating, "No one can even remotely think that whatever Digvijaya Singh says would not be in the interest of the Congress party." He described Singh as a "pillar of the Congress party." Congress MP Imran Masood reminded everyone that Singh is a "staunch opponent of the RSS," while Rajeev Shukla felt the matter was being unnecessarily amplified.
The most candid support came from Udit Raj, who admitted the party was grappling with serious organisational weaknesses and rampant factionalism. "For 10 years, we couldn't even appoint district presidents," he told IANS, indirectly justifying the need for Singh's call for introspection.
Clarification, Unity Message, and Unanswered Questions
Facing intense backlash, Digvijaya Singh issued a clarification. He asserted that while he praised the RSS's organisational strength, he remained a firm opponent of its ideology and that of Prime Minister Modi. "I have always opposed the policies of the BJP and the RSS," he clarified.
He later shifted to a unity message, targeting the BJP for trying to sow discord and affirming the Congress's unity under the Nehru-Gandhi family. He also mentioned that Rahul Gandhi had already initiated a process to strengthen the organisation from the district level.
However, this clarification did little to quell the speculation about the post's true intent. The mystery persists: Was it a veiled message about his future? Singh's Rajya Sabha term ends in July 2026, and the question of renomination looms. Was he subtly targeting the party's top office-bearers and the coterie around the leadership? The defence from some quarters about the need for organisational overhaul lends credence to this theory.
The episode underscores the ongoing tensions within the Congress between public messaging and private introspection, and the delicate balance leaders must strike in an era of instant social media reactions.
