A fresh debate over internal differences within the Congress party has emerged after senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh publicly praised the organisational strength of the BJP and its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). His remarks, made through a social media post on Saturday, have been widely seen as an indirect message to the Congress leadership.
Singh shared a throwback photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the mid-1990s. The image shows a young Modi, then a BJP worker, sitting on the floor near senior leader LK Advani during a public event in Gujarat. Singh described the photograph as “impactful” and highlighted Modi’s rise from a grassroots worker to Chief Minister and eventually Prime Minister.
“I found this picture on Quora. It is very impactful. How an RSS grassroots swayamsevak and a Jana Sangh/BJP worker, who once sat on the floor at the feet of leaders, went on to become the Chief Minister of a state and the Prime Minister of the country. This is the power of organisation. Jai Siya Ram,” Singh wrote on X.
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The photograph is believed to have been taken during the swearing-in ceremony of former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela in 1996.
What drew particular attention was Singh tagging Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, suggesting the post was aimed directly at the party’s top leadership. The timing was also significant, as it coincided with a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s highest decision-making body.
Congress Leaders Push Back Against Digvijaya Singh’s Remarks
Several Congress leaders publicly distanced themselves from Digvijaya Singh’s comments, asserting that the party had nothing to learn from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera dismissed any comparison outright. “There’s nothing to learn from the RSS. What can an organisation known for Godse teach an organisation founded by Gandhi?” he told news agency ANI.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate accused the BJP of misrepresenting Singh’s remarks. “The BJP presents statements by twisting and distorting them. We do not need to learn anything from an organisation like the RSS,” she said.
Highlighting the Congress’s legacy, Shrinate added, “We are the Indian National Congress. We fought the freedom struggle against British rule, its injustice and its exploitation, and turned it into a mass movement. We do not need to learn anything from anyone. People should learn from us.”
Echoing similar views, senior leader Salman Khurshid said, “We don’t have anything to learn from them. We oppose their ideology.”
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, meanwhile, took a more measured stance, focusing on the party’s internal functioning. Calling for organisational reform, he said, “Even I want our organisation to strengthen. There should be discipline in our organisation. Digvijaya Singh can speak for himself.”
BJP Targets Congress Leadership
The BJP quickly seized on Singh’s remarks to attack the Congress, particularly Rahul Gandhi. BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan said the post had exposed the Congress’s internal functioning.
“Will Rahul Gandhi show courage and react to the shocking ‘truth bomb’ dropped by Digvijaya Singh, which has totally exposed how Congress’s first family ruthlessly runs the party in a dictatorial manner?” Kesavan asked.
Another BJP spokesperson, Pradeep Bhandari, mocked the Congress by claiming that Singh had openly dissented against Rahul Gandhi.
Singh’s post also comes amid ongoing tensions within the Congress, including repeated instances where Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor has publicly praised Prime Minister Modi and the Union government, drawing criticism from his own party.
Singh Clarifies His Stand
As the controversy grew, Digvijaya Singh issued a clarification, stressing that he remained firmly opposed to the ideology of the RSS. He said his praise was limited only to its organisational capacity.
“I have been saying this from the beginning. I am opposed to the ideology of the RSS. They neither respect the Constitution nor the country’s laws. It is an unregistered organisation,” Singh told ANI.
However, he repeated that he admired the RSS’s ability to build a strong organisation. “I admire their organisational capacity because an organisation that isn’t even registered has become so powerful that the Prime Minister says from the Red Fort that it is the world’s largest NGO,” he said.
Speaking later to NDTV, Singh again acknowledged the strength of the RSS network, saying, “The power of the organisation is such that they can go from house to house and sell a comb to a bald person. They are so clever in this way.”
At the same time, he turned his focus inward, pointing out weaknesses in the Congress’s own structure. “The Congress is fundamentally a party of a movement. But converting that movement into votes, that’s where we fall short,” he admitted.
Call For Organisational Reform
Singh also spoke about the need for a stronger organisation at the grassroots level, particularly in Madhya Pradesh. He said dissatisfaction during organisational appointments was natural, but added that progress would only come once the party was strong at the booth and village levels.
Earlier, on December 19, Singh had already drawn attention by publicly urging Rahul Gandhi to introduce greater decentralisation within the party.
“Rahul Gandhi ji, you are absolutely ‘bang on’ in matters of socio-economic issues. Full marks. But now, please look at the Congress also. Like the Election Commission needs reforms, so does the Indian National Congress,” he wrote.
“You have started with organisation creation, but we need more pragmatic decentralised functioning. I am sure you would do it because I know you can do it. The only problem is that it is not easy to ‘convince’ you,” Singh added.
When asked whether his recent post was meant as advice to the Congress leadership, Singh played it down. “I have not given any advice to anyone. When I saw the photo, I was impressed by it,” he told NDTV.
At the Congress Working Committee meeting held the same day, Singh offered a brief comment, “Whatever I had to say, I have said it.”
Together, Singh’s remarks have reopened questions about leadership, organisation, and internal debate within the Congress, while also providing fresh ammunition to the BJP ahead of crucial political battles.
