New Delhi [India], December 28 : After his comments praising the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's "power of organisation" sparked controversy, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Sunday stressed that the party remains united and accused the BJP of trying to create rifts within the Nehru-Gandhi family.
Meanwhile, the BJP welcomed Singh's remarks, asserting that the RSS has consistently fostered a sense of social equality. The party added that while critics may continue to oppose the organisation for now, they too would eventually come to appreciate its work.
Speaking to ANI, Digvijaya Singh said, "There is no difference in ideology. We (Congress) are all united, and this Nehru-Gandhi family is a family in which two people have been martyred. I strongly condemn the BJP's attempts to sow discord within this family."
"Rahul Gandhi has started this initiative (strengthening the organisation) from the district level and below. The process for that is underway. It will be completed soon," he added.
BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on Saturday criticised Congress after senior party leader Digvijaya Singh praised the organisational strength of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), saying the Congress is just limited to one family.
Javadekar said, "Digvijaya Singh understood the strength of an organisation right now, but the Congress has still not realised it. Congress disrespects the Dalit leader Mallikarjun Kharge every day. Congress is just limited to one family. In Congress, only members of one family have rights to make decisions within the party. A person who is working for the betterment of an organisation must be recognised and given opportunities to grow, a quality missing in Congress."
Telangana BJP spokesperson Prakash Reddy, on Sunday, lauded Congress leader Digvijaya Singh's recent statement about the organisational capacity of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Singh (RSS), as a wake-up call to Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi.
He hailed Congress Veteran Digvijaya's remarks on the BJP-RSS structure, the rise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the decentralisation of power."It is good to know that the former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and a close ally of Rahul Gandhi has acknowledged the organisational structure of RSS," Reddy said.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis welcomed Congress leader Digvijaya Singh's remarks praising the organisational strength of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), saying that the organisation has consistently worked to promote societal equality and national progress.
Speaking to the media, CM Fadnavis said, "RSS has always promoted a feeling of societal equality... Slowly, people are learning that RSS is trying to take India to new heights, which is why even the opposers praise it and those who still criticise it will also learn to praise it gradually."
Congress leader Manickam Tagore took a subtle dig at Digvijaya Singh's remarks, calling it a "self goal" while adding that "nothing to learn from Godse's organisation other than Hate. Congress at 140 is still young, and fights hate."
Tagore equated the RSS with Al-Qaeda, stating that both spread hatred and emphasising that the Congress party, with its 140-year history, should be the model for unity and a people's movement, citing Mahatma Gandhi's transformation of the party.
"The RSS is an organisation built on hatred, and it spreads hatred. There is nothing to learn from hatred. Can you learn anything from Al-Qaeda? Al-Qaeda is an organisation of hatred. It hates others. What is there to learn from that organisation?" Manickam Tagore told ANI.
Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Sunday defended party veteran Digvijaya Singh over his recent remarks that were seen as praising the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), calling Singh a "pillar" of the Congress party.
Khurshid said that Digvijaya Singh's statements should be understood in their proper context and asserted that it was unthinkable for him to say anything that would harm the interests of the Congress or the country.
He said Singh's long association with the party and his ideological commitment should not be doubted.
Congress leader Rajeev Shukla on Sunday defended Digvijaya Singh's recent praise for Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, adding that the matter is being "unnecessarily amplified".
He further mentioned that Singh is fully aligned with the Congress party. "Digvijaya Singh is fully aligned with the party... This matter is being unnecessarily amplified," he told ANI.
Reacting to Congress MP Digvijaya Singh's recent tweet, Congress MP Imran Masood on Sunday said that he viewed the incident as an act of "sycophancy" and did not find anything positive in it.
He further added that there was no need to create so much controversy over these remarks.
Speaking to ANI, "What I saw and understood was that it was an act of sycophancy. I understood how much support and encouragement sycophancy receives there... I didn't see anything positive in it.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday called Digvijaya Singh a "friend" and "understand from him how this change of opinion" came about, after the latter's remarks about the RSS's organisational capability sparked rumours of a dispute within the Congress.
"The fact is, the RSS never participated in the country's freedom struggle. The RSS never hoisted or displayed the national tricolour flag at its offices for 50 years. The RSS is at the forefront of creating religious tension in the country. I have seen that Digvijaya Singh ji has launched a very strong attack on the RSS in Parliament. So what happened all of a sudden? He is a friend of mine, and I will understand from him how this change in his opinion came about," he told reporters.
Digvijaya Singh shared a black-and-white photograph from the 1990s, found on social question-and-answer website Quora, showing a young Narendra Modi seated on the floor near senior BJP leader LK Advani at an event in Gujarat.
In a post shared on X, Singh noted that individuals who once worked at the grassroots level could rise through the organisational hierarchy to become Chief Minister and eventually Prime Minister. He described this as the "power of organisation", while tagging senior Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh, PM Modi, and the official handles of the Congress.
"I found this picture on the Quora site. It is very impressive. In what way did the grassroots swayamsevak of RSS and the worker of Jan Sangh @BJP4India sit on the floor at the feet of leaders and become the Chief Minister of the state and the Prime Minister of the country? This is the power of the organisation. Jai Siya Ram. @INCIndia @INCMP@kharge @RahulGandhi @priyankagandhi @Jairam_Ramesh @narendramodi," Singh's X post read.
Responding to criticism over the post, Singh later said that his remarks had been misunderstood and clarified his position.
"I support the organisation. I am against the RSS and Modi ji. You have misunderstood. I have praised 'sangathan'. I was, am, and will remain a staunch opponent of the RSS and Modi. Is it a bad thing to strengthen and praise the organisation?" he said.