Singh stated stated that he has only appreciated strong organisational structures and continues oppose RSS and PM Modi. Screengrab: ANI
Digvijaya Singh on RSS row: 'I oppose Modi, RSS, praised organisation'
Digvijaya Singh clarifies RSS praise row, says he remains opposed to PM Narendra Modi and the Sangh despite viral social media post
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday (December 27) issued a clarification following the controversy over his alleged praise of the RSS and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a social media post he shared earlier in the day. The Rajya Sabha MP and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister stated that he has only appreciated strong organisational structures and continues to remain staunchly opposed to the RSS and PM Modi.
"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?" Singh told ANI.
How the row started
Singh’s remarks came after he shared a black-and-white photograph from the 1990s, sourced from Quora, which showed a young Narendra Modi seated on the floor near senior BJP leader L. K. Advani during an event in Gujarat.
Also Read: Digvijaya Singh praises RSS-BJP, shares old Modi photo, sparks row
In a post shared on X earlier in the day, Singh reflected on how individuals who begin their political journey at the grassroots level can rise through organisational ranks to become a Chief Minister and eventually the Prime Minister. He described this progression as an example of the “power of organisation”.
Tagged Rahul, Priyanka
Singh tagged several senior Congress leaders in the post, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh, along with Prime Minister Modi and the official social media handles of the Congress.
Also Read: Digvijaya Singh's 'One country, two laws' post on Kanwar Yatra sparks row
“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,” Singh wrote in his post.
BJP targets Rahul
The Bharatiya Janata Party seized upon Singh’s remarks to target the Congress. BJP national spokesperson C. R. Kesavan on Saturday said the comments had exposed what he termed the “autocratic and undemocratic” functioning of the Congress leadership.
In a post on X, Kesavan questioned whether Rahul Gandhi would respond to what he described as a “truth bomb” dropped by Singh, alleging that it revealed how the party was being run in a “dictatorial manner”.