Controversy Erupts Over PM Modi's RSS Praise on Independence Day

In a fiery critique, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief, Asaduddin Owaisi, questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to commend the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) during his Independence Day address from the Red Fort, suggesting the tribute should have been paid in Nagpur, the RSS's base.

Owaisi accused the RSS of propagating an exclusionary Hindutva ideology that contradicts the Indian Constitution's values. He lamented that the RSS was absent from the freedom movement and antagonistic towards Mahatma Gandhi, labeling the Prime Minister's praise an insult to India's historic struggle for independence.

PM Modi described the RSS as the world's largest NGO, celebrating its centennial contribution to the nation. Owaisi's response highlights a deep-seated tension over India's historical narrative, warning that internal divisiveness, rather than external forces such as China, poses a greater threat to the country.

(With inputs from agencies.)