A day after sparking controversy over his comments praising the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh clarified that there was “no difference in ideology” within the party and reaffirmed unity among Congress members.
“There is no difference in ideology. We (Congress) are all united, and this Nehru-Gandhi family is a family in which two people have been martyred. I strongly condemn the BJP’s attempts to sow discord within this family,” Singh said while addressing the media.
The veteran leader’s remarks came following a social media post that triggered a political storm. Singh had shared an old photograph from 1996 showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi with veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani, accompanied by a caption acknowledging the BJP’s tradition of elevating dedicated swayamsevaks and grassroots workers to top positions in government.
“I found this picture on the Quora site. It is very impactful. The way grassroots swayamsevaks of the RSS and workers of the Jan Sangh become Chief Minister and Prime Minister reflects the power of the organisation. Jai Siya Ram,” Singh had written.
The post went viral, coinciding with a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in New Delhi. Singh had also tagged party president Mallikarjun Kharge, along with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, which fuelled speculation about whether his praise for the RSS was indirectly aimed at the party’s top leadership.
Seizing the opportunity, BJP spokesperson C.R. Kesavan demanded a response from Rahul Gandhi, claiming Singh’s statement exposed internal issues within the Congress.
“Will Rahul Gandhi show courage and react to the shocking truth bomb dropped by Digvijaya Singh’s tweet, which exposes how the Congress first family runs the party in a dictatorial and undemocratic manner?” Kesavan said in a post on social media.
As reactions poured in, Singh later issued a clarification, asserting that his statement had been misinterpreted. “I am a supporter of the organisation, but an opponent of the RSS and Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi. I have only praised the organisational strength of the RSS. I have always opposed the policies of the BJP and the RSS,” he said.
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