Pawan Khera distances Congress from Digvijaya Singh’s remarks praising RSS
New Delhi: The Indian National Congress on Sunday saw a public difference of opinion after senior leader Digvijaya Singh praised the organisational structure of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, prompting a sharp response from the party’s media chief Pawan Khera.
Khera, who heads the Congress’ media and publicity department, said the party had “nothing to learn” from the RSS and distanced the Congress from Singh’s remarks. Taking a strong ideological stand, Khera linked the RSS to Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin, and said, “What can an organisation known for Godse teach an organisation founded by Gandhi?”
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The controversy followed Singh’s social media post in which he shared an old black-and-white photograph showing Narendra Modi seated on the floor beside senior BJP leader L. K. Advani during an event in Gujarat in the 1990s. Singh said the image illustrated the “power of organisation,” pointing to how grassroots workers of the RSS and the Jan Sangh could rise to become chief minister and prime minister.
In his post on X, Singh tagged several Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, as well as Jairam Ramesh, along with Prime Minister Modi. He described the photograph, sourced from Quora, as “impressive” and said it demonstrated organisational strength.
Speaking to ANI later, Singh clarified that he opposed the ideology of the RSS but admired its organisational capacity. He said the RSS did not respect the Constitution or laws and remained an unregistered organisation, but noted that its influence was such that even the Prime Minister had described it as the world’s largest NGO from the Red Fort.
Singh also reflected on the Congress’ organisational challenges, saying there was scope for improvement. Describing the Congress as a movement-based party, he said its weakness lay in converting mass movements into electoral success.
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UDF will have huge win in Kerala, NDA won't open its account: Cong leader Satheesan
Kochi (PTI): Senior Congress leader V D Satheesan on Friday expressed confidence in a huge win by the UDF, claiming it will make a clean sweep in five districts, and brushed aside speculations that the NDA will open its account in Kerala.
Satheesan, speaking to reporters here a day after the conclusion of the Assembly polls, praised the performance of the UDF leaders and workers during the election, saying it was the best ever he has seen in the last 30 years.
He said that his claims of the UDF getting over 100 seats is not a mere statement, but based on the work the front has done during the last five years to bring back all those who had left it in 2005 and as a result, there was a huge wave in its favour in the state.
The leader of opposition in the state assembly, who contested from the Paravoor constituency, further said that the Congress-led front also had a major social backing from minorities and marginalised groups in the society.
Besides that, there was an anti-incumbency feeling among the people who were disappointed with the LDF rule, he claimed and said that the UDF provided them with a hope and an alternative which no other opposition had done in the past.
"All these factors will contribute to a huge win for the UDF and it would not be surprising if we make a clean sweep in Malappuram, Wayanad, Ernakulam, Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts. That is a total of 43 seats," he said.
According to him, the polling percentage increased because the UDF got people added to the electoral list.
He also brushed aside the LDF remarks about a woman or youth CM, saying that "they can make such statements now as they know they cannot win".
"Otherwise, why did they campaign with Pinarayi Vijayan as the main factor. Why did they say a third Pinarayi rule will come?" he asked.
He also claimed that the LDF's decision to spend government money on its political campaign, by putting up hoardings and carrying out social media programmes to sway voters, has also backfired as people realised that their taxes were being wasted like that.
Asked whether the NDA will open its account, especially in areas where the UDF claimed the BJP-led front had made a deal with the LDF, Satheesan replied in the negative.
He said that as of now he does not see any chance of the NDA opening its account in the state.
