Digvijaya Singh stirs controversy with Modi, RSS praise
What's the story
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has stirred a controversy by sharing a throwback photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and praising the organizational strength of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological parent, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The post comes at a time when fissures within the Congress party are becoming more evident. The post by the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister was seen as a direct message to Congress leadership during their Working Committee meeting in Delhi.
Organizational praise
Singh's post highlights grassroots growth in BJP-RSS
Singh shared a Quora-sourced image of a young Modi sitting on the floor near veteran BJP leader LK Advani. He described the photograph as powerful and highlighted how grassroots workers in the Sangh-BJP ecosystem can rise to high offices. "I found this picture on Quora. It is very impactful," he said, emphasizing the power of organization within RSS and BJP.
Internal message
Singh's post interpreted as a message to Congress leadership
Singh tagged official Congress handles and senior leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in his post. This was seen as an attempt to send a message to the Congress leadership. The BJP took a dig at Rahul Gandhi over Singh's tweet, with spokesperson CR Kesavan claiming it exposed the "autocratic and undemocratic" nature of Congress leadership.
Clarification issued
Singh clarifies stance amid controversy
After the controversy, Singh clarified that he is a "staunch opponent of the BJP and RSS" but praised their organizational structure. He had earlier called for reforms within Congress, suggesting it needed more "pragmatic decentralized functioning." Meanwhile, Congress President Kharge chaired a Working Committee meeting in Delhi with senior leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.