Hyderabad (Telangana), August 16 (ANI): All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday strongly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for praising the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in his Independence Day address, calling it a “great insult” to India’s freedom struggle.
Owaisi argued that the RSS never participated in the freedom movement and instead opposed inclusive nationalism. “Prime Minister praising the RSS in his Independence Day speech is a great insult to our freedom struggle because the RSS never participated in it. They used to remain in the shadows of the Britishers. RSS hated the freedom fighters more than the British, including Gandhi. RSS has always opposed inclusive nationalism, which was the foundation on which freedom fighters fought for India’s independence,” Owaisi said at a press conference.
The AIMIM chief further contended that the RSS’s Hindutva ideology runs contrary to the Constitution. “The ideology of Hindutva is completely against the Constitution of India. When PM Modi earlier visited the RSS headquarters, I did not comment because he is a lifetime Swayamsevak. However, praising RSS in his capacity as Prime Minister is wrong. RSS is an organisation that spreads hatred in the country. Non-Cooperation Movement, Satyagraha, agitation against Rowlatt Act, Civil Disobedience Movement, Quit India Movement, Naval Mutiny in Mumbai – can you see RSS in any of it?” he asked.
Referring to Syama Prasad Mookerjee of the Hindu Mahasabha, Owaisi said, “RSS’ oath talks about the religion, society and culture of a single community. When Syama Prasad Mookerjee was a minister in the Bengal cabinet in 1941 under Fazlul Huq, the same leader who had moved the Muslim League’s Pakistan resolution in Lahore in 1940, the Prime Minister today speaks about them. We have always been and will remain philosophically opposed to the BJP. However, the Prime Minister’s praise for RSS is wrong.”
Owaisi also raised concerns about national security, pointing to Chinese aggression. “We face danger from China. We can’t even go to the lost patrolling points. We lost 25 patrolling points,” he said.
On the issue of Partition, Owaisi rejected the narrative that Muslims were solely responsible, calling it a “lie.” He urged NCERT to include Muslims Against Partition by Shamsul Islam in its curriculum. “At that time, not even 2-3 per cent of Muslims had the right to vote, and today people blame us for the Partition. How were we responsible for that? Those who fled, fled. Those who were loyal stayed,” he stated.
His remarks came a day after Prime Minister Modi, in his 79th Independence Day speech from the Red Fort, hailed the RSS on completing 100 years, describing it as the “biggest NGO in the world” and praising its century-long contribution to nation-building.
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