‘World must know that Modi govt is celebrating a Nazi admirer’
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — A tweet from Union Culture Ministry celebrating the birth anniversary of M.S. Golwalkar, an RSS ideologue, has drawn massive flak from critics and opposition politicians who likened the tweet to celebrating Nazi ideology of racial purity.
Golwalkar is a controversial figure for his pro-Nazi views but is highly revered by Hindu right-wing nationalist and has dominated the public discourse since the advent of Bhartiya Janata Party to power in 2014.
The tweet posted on Friday morning from the official twitter handle of the ministry termed Golwalkar “a great thinker, scholar, and remarkable leader” whose “thoughts will remain a source of inspiration & continue to guide generations”.
Remembering a great thinker, scholar, and remarkable leader #MSGolwalkar on his birth anniversary. His thoughts will remain a source of inspiration & continue to guide generations. @prahladspatel @secycultureGOI @PMOIndia @PIBCulture @pspoffice pic.twitter.com/3keZ08vPfM
— Ministry of Culture (@MinOfCultureGoI) February 19, 2021
Rights activists and left leader Kavita Krishnan asked in a critical tone what thoughts of Golwalkar are inspirational. She wrote a Twitter thread showing the infamous statement of Golwalkar where he had praised Hitler purge of Jews terming it a ‘good lesson for Indians’ to learn about racial superiority.
Hindus, Golwalkar once said, “don’t waste your energy fighting the British. Save your energy to fight our internal enemies that are Muslims, Christians and Communist.” He was also averse to Sikhs and Bhudists.
Great thinker के great thoughts!
“To keep up the purity of the nation and its culture, Germany shocked the world by her purging the country of Semitic races – the Jews. National pride at its highest has been manifested here.”
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Happy birthday O’ sick evil man! https://t.co/gboKa8fFo0— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) February 19, 2021
Journalist Hartosh Singh Bal took a dig at the government for celebrating Golwalkar who endorsed “final solution in Germany” as a model for India to follow.
Bal’s colleague Vinok K Jose, while quoting the ministry’s tweet said, “World must know that Modi govt is celebrating a Nazi admirer”
The union Culture Ministry is headed by Giriraj Singh, a BJP hardliner, who once said in the parliament that there was nothing wrong in worshiping Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi.
This Minister is the choice of Prime Minister’s Modi for the position representing the culture of India. He is the same person who in Parliament said to me that there is nothing wrong in worshipping Nathuram Godse. https://t.co/BKFYJdBO3T
— Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) February 19, 2021
Under Modi, the twice-banned RSS has gained influence and power and expanded swiftly with close to one million active members at present. The RSS is an umbrella organisation for Hindu nationalist groups in India. Its views on minorities, especially Muslims, have been branded as extremist by its critics.