Controversy ensued when the Malappuram district committee of the Indian Youth Congress arranged an ‘Anti-Fascist Gathering’ in Kerala on 30 January 2023. The event’s posters, explicitly linking Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), generated widespread outrage.
The event was titled, “RSS Killed Gandhi”. DMK spokesperson Salma was also a part of the gathering. Despite Rahul Gandhi’s previous clarification on the ‘RSS killed Gandhi’ issue, the Congress party continues to play this card against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), sparking concerns about the propagation of communal hatred and the deliberate targeting of an organization unrelated to the Gandhi assassination.
The poster, prominently featuring the claim “RSS KILLED GANDHI!!,” suggests that Congress is persisting with this narrative, potentially as a political strategy.
Breaking News Alert 🚨
Defamation Suit Filed Against INCKerala Leader and Writer Over Gandhi Assassination Claims !!🔥
In a noteworthy development, a defamation suit has been initiated against INCKerala leader Rahul Mankootam and writer Salama by RSSorg Malappuram… pic.twitter.com/sAZO3jUW4x
— महारथी-മഹാരഥി (@MahaRathii) February 2, 2024
One notable speaker at the event is Salma, a writer affiliated with the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), known for consistently criticizing the RSS at every platform she gets to speak. The collaboration between the Congress and Salma’s organization in spreading anti-RSS sentiments has raised concerns about the convergence of political agendas in targeting the RSS.
In the address, Salma expressed strong sentiments against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sangh Parivar, particularly the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Salma asserted that the RSS was responsible for Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination and highlighted various instances supporting their stance. She said, “RSS killed Gandhi – no doubt about that. If there is an organisation that can denigrate and destroy the sovereignty of a country then it is only the RSS.”
She went on to add, “When the whole country was fighting for freedom along with Gandhi, RSS Sangh Parivar Savarkar group wrote apology letters. When we took up arms, we joined Gandhi for the Dandi march, Savarkar was writing apology letters, history will not forget it.”
Mentioning the DMK chief and TN Chief Minister Stalin, Salma said, “DMK leader, our CM Stalin recently said the BJP was a social virus,” drawing parallels to the destructive impact witnessed during the COVID pandemic. Just as the virus affected and harmed us, she said the BJP and Sangh Parivar were doing the same through their actions. In response to this perceived face of fascism, she said, the I.N.D.I alliance was formed, with DMK actively participating.
Speaking about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, she said he was well-qualified to be the Prime Minister, emphasizing his ability to spread love and harmony and that is why people are thronging his yatra. She also added, “BJP Sangh Parivar wants to convert the nation into one language one religion one god – Ram. In TN there are many temples and many gods. In the different states of India, there are so many temples and gods. But they are creating a situation where there is only 1 god. This is fascism in its true form.”
She continued, “BJP is a symbol of fascist rule and we have to end it. Gandhi had conflicts with many leaders, Ambedkar, Netaji, Muslims. Everyone had differences with him but no one thought they must kill him. even if there were differences they wanted him to be there. but this Sangh Parivar wanted to kill Gandhi and are proud of it. They are doing it today also.”
She added, “We know what Pragya Thakur did. The fact that she shot at a photo of Gandhi and ‘killed’ him satisfied her frenzy. This is the kind of fascism we are dealing with.”
Salma then raised the issue of the Parliament breach and pointed out that it was a BJP MP who had given permission to the people who broke into the Parliament. She said the suspension of all the 140 Opposition MPs who sought justice and the lack of action against the particular MP (Pratap Simha) for the Parliament breach and also how several bills were passed in the absence of these MLAs, she said was a stark display of fascism.
She went on to explain the many ways by which people can “understand fascism”. She spoke of a former Karsevak, Meghvanshi who had been a part of the RSS from a young age, who wrote a book about how RSS instilled values of hate towards fellow citizens. He is said to have quit the organisation after a few years. “Our challenge and duty lies in preventing the promotion of a singular god, a single religion, and one language.”
The speech then moved on to “explain” how fascism works:
- Nationalism serves as their primary tool, asserting actions in the name of the country to further their agenda.
- Media control is firmly in their hands today, as they dictate what information people should see and hear.
- The education system is under their influence, with Vice-Chancellors predominantly aligning with Sangh ideology, creating a pervasive presence of RSS-affiliated individuals across educational institutions and universities. She adds, “All VCs are only Sanghis.”
- Control of corporates – Salma alleged that the BJP was consolidating power in the hands of corporates, leading to concerns that India has been handed over to big businesses, fostering an environment where all private organizations are perceived as having fascist tendencies.
Speaking about the latest controversy around Rajinikanth where he faced criticism and backlash for visiting the Ram Mandir, with people labeling him a “sanghi.” However, at the audio launch of Lal Salaam, his daughter addressed the accusations, asserting that her father is not a “sanghi” but a good man. Salma added, “That means sanghi is a bad word. She (Rajini’s daughter) is accepting that on the stage. Sanghi is an abusive word.” Salma alleged that these methodologies were the ways by which the Sangh/BJP were furthering their ideology.
Historical anecdotes, including an incident involving Jawaharlal Nehru’s wife and the current government’s handling of hate against minorities, were cited by Salma to highlight what the speaker viewed as the deep-seated nature of fascism. The Bilkis Bano case and the alleged persecution of individuals who do not align with the ruling party were presented as further examples.
Comparing Sangh/BJP To Nazi Rule
Salma said the current surge of hatred against minorities was “alarming”, with this sentiment flourishing in the present environment. She drew parallels to historical instances like the atrocities committed against Jews by Nazis. Critics argue that figures like Modi and Amit Shah are reminiscent of Hitler and Mussolini, perpetuating troubles for minority communities. She also said this was leading to the erosion of democracy, as they are accused of fuelling and revelling in the creation of animosity towards minorities.
“Targeting” Non-BJP Governments With ED
Salma alleged that those who resisted conformity with the agenda of the BJP found themselves pursued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). She said states governed by the BJP seemed to remain unaffected by ED actions, while others, especially those not under BJP rule, faced scrutiny and pursuit.
EVM Hacking
Pointing out how Arvind Kejriwal revealed the bogus voting in Delhi Mayor elections and that the BJP helped them in this. She said, “This is how they will do to EVM also, and hack it. We have to fight against it and prevent them from coming back to power.”
On Gandhi
She added, “Their mindset is such that it killed a man like Gandhi, so they will be ready to do anything. Gandhi was born as a Hindu, lived as a Hindu, and was shot during a Hindu prayer meeting. They killed him in such a circumstance, so they will not hesitate to attack minorities like us.”
Manipur
In Manipur, she said, the two communities remain divided, causing ongoing issues. When Rahul Gandhi visited, he was warmly welcomed, and the people appealed to him for salvation, acknowledging that they believed only he could address their concerns.
Delhi Wrestler Protest
Speaking about the wrestlers’ protest in Delhi, she said that all wrestling champions raised their voices against an incident of abuse by a BJP member. But the Prime Minister did not even acknowledge their concerns or turn to address them during the demonstration, and Salma said he was a PM who identified with fascism. She added, “They are going to lead the downfall. The death knell needs to be sounded for this election, this will be the last one.”
Ram Mandir
Salma added that the Prime Minister was engaging in daily temple visits, observed fasting, and participated in religious events like the Pran Prathista. She said this was concerning as he created fear among minority communities. She added that such practices were uncommon in other countries. She also said that they have been trying to declare the country as a Hindu Rashtra for several years now and Hindutva has crept into every nook and corner because of the Sangh Parivar working silently in villages. She said, “They will work silently, they don’t want any money or position for this. Then they will ensure the people are subjected to violence, sow seeds of hate, and destroy the country. The BJP government and the Sangh Parivar group are going to lead the downfall. The death knell needs to be sounded for this election, this will be the last one.”
With the completion of the Ram Mandir Pran Prathishta, she said, “There will be no dearth of Ram in this country. You don’t need anything else, this is what they are doing, politics with religion. Religion is most important for them, they can rule only with religion, we all saw it.”
On Splitting Alliances
She said that till recently Nitish Kumar was a part of the I.N.D.I alliance, but had gone missing. She alleged that the BJP engaged in horse trading to gain the support of MLAs and secure power in states. She added that this strategy has led to the fragmentation of various political parties, although the DMK has remained resilient while the ADMK is now divided into three factions. She also accused the BJP of breaking alliances in Maharashtra, dismantling two parties using money, without delivering tangible benefits to the people.
She concluded by saying, “We must show unity by bringing down the fascist forces by aborting their plans, by cutting the roots of RSS Sangh Parivar, otherwise they will be a danger for us at any point in time. They will create hate among us. In Kathua the girl was a Muslim, they closed the temple and gang-raped her she was a Muslim. That child was killed and they fought for these murderers and to protect them, the MLAs and ministers went on a procession, don’t forget it.”
She further added, “Gandhi was attacked by fascist forces whose identity is the BJP, we must fight them. Our only hope is the I.N.D.I. alliance and we must work together for them.”
She ended with a Faiz Ahmed Faiz poem and said, “We must work towards aborting the plans of this fascist BJP and the Sangh Parivar, the ones who killed Gandhi. We have to be victorious and live well in front of the BJP.”
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