Owaisi cited records showing RSS absence in freedom movements, criticizing its ideology and Golwalkar’s labeling of communities as “internal threats.”
Hyderabad
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday strongly denied Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) played a role in India’s freedom struggle, saying no RSS member sacrificed their life for independence.
Speaking at the inauguration of developmental works in Shaikpet, Hyderabad, Owaisi said, “History shows not a single RSS member lost life fighting for the country. If someone can name one, I am willing to hear it.” He noted that RSS founder KB Hedgewar opposed the British and supported the Khilafat movement before founding the organisation, but stressed that this was prior to RSS’s formation.
Owaisi cited historical records, including British archives, to say RSS members did not take part in the 1930s freedom movement or the 1942 Quit India Movement. He criticised RSS ideology, noting opposition to the Constitution and citing writings by leaders like Golwalkar who labelled certain communities as “internal threats.”
“The Prime Minister praises this ideology, but it goes against the Constitution and equality,” Owaisi said. He recalled sacrifices of Indian Muslims, such as Maulvi Alauddin and Turribaz Khan, adding RSS’s historical record does not align with claims of contributing to freedom.
Owaisi urged the Prime Minister to provide factual history rather than endorsing the RSS’s version. His comments follow Modi’s praise of RSS during its centenary celebrations, calling it a force for nation-building.
