Congress leader Jairam Ramesh Thursday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tribute to RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat on his 75th birthday, accusing the PM of trying to curry favor with the RSS leadership.
The Congress leader pointed out that while Modi mentioned Swami Vivekananda’s iconic speech in Chicago on September 11, 1893, and the Al Qaeda terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, 2001, he conveniently omitted to mention Mahatma Gandhi’s pivotal role in launching the Satyagraha movement in Johannesburg on September 11, 1906.
“Of course, it is too much to expect the PM to remember the origin of satyagraha since the very word satya is alien to him,” Ramesh said in a post on social media. He further added that Modi’s “pravachans appear as if they are God-sent,” questioning the PM’s sincerity.
On September 11, 1906, Mahatma Gandhi coined the term “Satyagraha” during a gathering at the Empire Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa, marking the beginning of a non-violent resistance movement against racial discrimination and colonial oppression.
This movement was sparked by the Draft Asiatic Ordinance, which required Indians to register their fingerprints and carry identification certificates.
Satyagraha, which translates to “insistence on truth” or “firmness in a good cause,” was a powerful tool used by Gandhi to challenge unjust laws and policies. The concept has since been adopted by social movements worldwide, inspiring leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.
Mohan Bhagwat, the RSS chief, turned 75 on September 11, 2025. Prime Minister Modi paid tribute to Bhagwat, praising his dedication to societal transformation and strengthening the spirit of harmony and fraternity. However, Jairam Ramesh’s criticism highlights the ongoing debate about the RSS’s role in Indian society and politics.