Digvijaya’s reality check for Congress

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has received praise from completely unexpected quarters, with several Congress leaders, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Digvijaya Singh, notably, lauding its organizational strength.

- PANKAJ VOHRA

Digvijaya, who in the past has been extremely critical of the RSS, often referring to it as a fascist outfit and accusing it of unleashing “Hindu terror”, particularly after the Malegaon blasts, complimented the Sangh for its discipline and organizational prowess.

Significantly, the statement followed by weak attempts to elaborate it, was issued on the eve of the Congress Foundation Day and when the Working Committee was meeting at Indira Bhawan to finalize the agitation programme against the Centre on the MNREGA issue.

The veteran leader released an old photograph of the Prime Minister sitting at the feet of BJP stalwart, L.K. Advani during the swearing in ceremony of Keshubhai Patel, 30 years ago, with a comment that it was the Sangh alone which could make an ordinary worker first the CM and subsequently the PM.

Political analysts were quick to point out that the views expressed by the former CM were aimed at the coterie around Rahul Gandhi and also highlighted both the inaccessibility of the leadership and its inability to address important organizational issues. Incidentally, Digvijaya’s Rajya Sabha term ends in a few months as also of those who appeared to concur with him amongst the elected members.