Amid Digvijaya's RSS praise row, Tharoor pushes for 'organisational strength' as Congress leaders divided

Shashi Tharoor

• Tharoor and Singh urge Congress for discipline and reform amid internal debate.
• Singh praises RSS and BJP's organisational strength but rejects their ideology
• Congress leaders express mixed reactions, stressing unity and improvement

Did our AI summary help?

Amid a growing internal debate triggered by senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh’s remarks praising the organisational strength of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), party MP Shashi Tharoor has stepped in to underline the need for discipline and organisational reform within the Congress, while other leaders have offered sharply contrasting reactions.

Tharoor, the Thiruvananthapuram MP, concurred with Singh’s remarks on strengthening party structures, arguing that introspection was necessary for an organisation with a long legacy. Stressing that discipline remains central to political success, he said, “We have a history of 140 years, and we can learn a lot from it. We can learn from ourselves, too. Discipline is very important in any party.”

He added that calls for organisational reform should not be viewed in isolation, noting, “Even I want our organisation to strengthen. There should be discipline in our organisation. Digvijaya Singh can speak for himself.”

Asked about his interaction with Singh after the controversy erupted, Tharoor downplayed any sense of crisis, saying discussions were natural among colleagues. “We are friends, and having a conversation is natural. The organisation must be strengthened -- there is no question about it,” he said, adding that internal reform and unity were crucial as the party faces political challenges.

The controversy stems from a social media post by Digvijaya Singh, who shared a black-and-white photograph from the 1990s dourced from Quora showing a young Narendra Modi seated on the floor near BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani.

Reflecting on the image, Singh praised the rise of grassroots workers through organisational ranks, calling it the “power of organisation.”

His post read, “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.”

Singh later clarified that admiration for organisational strength did not translate into ideological agreement. “I've 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, and it's an unregistered organisation. But I admire their organisational capacity,” he said, adding that improvement was necessary within the Congress as well: “I can say this much that there is room for improvement, and every organisation should always have room for improvement.”

Other Congress leaders, however, struck different notes. Sachin Pilot sought to quell speculation about internal rifts, asserting unity while acknowledging differing opinions. “Congress party is united. The country needs a strong opposition. Our intention is to strengthen the organisation. In our party, we have the right to speak about our thoughts,” he said, adding, “All the Congress leaders have only one goal to strengthen Kharge and Rahul ji.”

In contrast, Congress Media and Publicity Department chairman Pawan Khera openly criticised Singh’s remarks, rejecting any comparison with the RSS. “There's nothing to learn from the RSS. What can an organisation known for Godse teach an organisation founded by Gandhi?” Khera said, linking the debate to ideological fundamentals.