NEW DELHI — As the ruling BJP’s parent organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) marks its centenary year, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh launched a scathing attack on the organisation, accusing it of historical betrayal, systemic caste discrimination, and collaboration with the British government to weaken India’s freedom struggle.
In a strongly worded video statement on Wednesday, the senior AAP leader raised a series of pointed questions over the RSS’s legacy and actions over the last 100 years. “Why has not a single Dalit, tribal, backward caste individual or woman ever been made the head of the RSS?” Singh asked, challenging the Sangh’s representation of Indian society.
He said the name “Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh” gives the impression that it speaks for the entire nation, but in reality, he alleged, 85% of India’s population — including Dalits, Adivasis, and backward classes — have no place in its leadership.
Calling for public scrutiny during the RSS’s centenary, Singh accused the organisation of aligning with colonial powers during India’s fight for independence. “The RSS was founded in 1925 during British rule, but it chose to serve the British instead of resisting them,” he said.
He claimed that the RSS opposed the Quit India Movement, spied on Indian revolutionaries, and even encouraged Indians to join the British Army during World War II. “This is the dark truth of the RSS’s history, one that cannot be erased,” Singh said.
The AAP leader also criticised the RSS for allegedly refusing to hoist the national Tricolour at its headquarters in Nagpur for 52 years. “Those who never stood with the nation, we can never stand with them,” he declared.
Singh further accused the RSS of being opposed to the Indian Constitution, and of upholding Manuwadi ideology, caste hierarchy, and untouchability. “This organisation has consistently stood against the values of Babasaheb Ambedkar and the reservation system that empowers marginalised communities,” he added.
Criticism of Glorification
Singh also took a swipe at the government’s release of a postage stamp and a 100-rupee coin by the prime minister to commemorate the RSS centenary. “Now we hear of commemorative stamps and the inclusion of RSS history in school syllabi — but this will only glorify the RSS, while hiding its betrayal during the freedom movement,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, Singh described the RSS as a “regressive and narrow-minded organisation” that has failed to represent the real India. “It has never allowed a Dalit, tribal, backward caste person, or a woman to lead it — even after 100 years. The people of India must remain cautious of such organisations,” he warned.
