BJP, RSS two sides of same coin with deep rooted links: Shiv Sena(UBT) in ‘Saamana’

Mumbai, Feb 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Tuesday said the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has moved away from its earlier "pure and honest" character, becoming complicit in the BJP's alleged corruption and unconstitutional acts.

It alleged that the "mother organisation" has either lost control over the BJP or is a silent beneficiary of its actions.

Referring to a dialogue organised on the occasion of the RSS centenary in Mumbai last week and the observations made by the RSS chief Dr Bhagwat, the Thackeray camp in the party's mouthpiece 'Saamana' editorial claimed that the BJP and the RSS are two sides of the same coin, and the Sangh is a "participant in all the sins" committed by the BJP as the ruling power.

The editorial said, “Some points in his address were truly strange and confusing. For instance, the RSS is merely a non-governmental organisation (NGO) with no direct involvement in politics. Bhagwat claimed that while PM Modi is the Prime Minister, his party is the BJP, and the BJP and RSS are entirely separate entities. He argued that while some volunteers are in the government, it does not mean the Sangh is in power. Who is Bhagwat trying to fool? He might confuse those in front of him for a while, but the country is not foolish."

It pointed to historical precedents, such as the 1970s, Janata Party collapse over the "dual membership" issue, as proof of the deep-rooted links between the two.

The Thackeray camp further said that in Delhi, the Sangh's five-star office was built at Jhandewalan Estate, and a 150-year-old temple was bulldozed because the parking space was insufficient. This happened due to the arrogance of sharing power with the BJP. "The Sangh is now openly involved in the BJP's corruption, criminality, and unconstitutional acts. Therefore, they cannot claim to have no connection with the BJP; saying the Sangh and BJP are separate is a total lie," it said.

The editorial said the event saw an unusual turnout of high-profile celebrities, including actors Salman Khan and Ranbir Kapoor, alongside various scientists, legal experts, and industrialists. “Such stars were rarely seen at Sangh platforms before the 'Modi era', suggesting their presence might stem from a desire to avoid political friction rather than genuine ideological alignment. Notably, Ranbir Kapoor’s attendance was a departure from the staunch communist legacy of his grandfather, Raj Kapoor,” it added.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena said the BJP has split Hindutva organisations and bought MLAs and MPs. They have taken control of the country's courts and the Election Commission like "Hitler".

“While the RSS chief spoke of communal harmony, there is a silence of Sangh-affiliated leaders regarding hate speech and provocative actions by BJP Chief Ministers, such as those in Assam. Does Salman’s presence on a Sangh stage mean the doors are open for all Muslims? PM Modi, Amit Shah, and CM Fadnavis engage in divisive politics. The CM of Assam displayed a poster of himself aimed at Muslims with a gun, yet the 'Sangh's Prime Minister' remains silent. The Assam CM even suggests not paying fare to Muslim rickshaw pullers, and the law remains impotent,” it remarked.

The editorial claimed that despite the efforts of millions of volunteers to keep the BJP in power, key ideological goals, including the creation of "Akhand Bharat, awarding the Bharat Ratna to Savarkar, and stopping the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, remain unfulfilled".

Source: IANS