"Not a single person in RSS lost life for country": Owaisi counters PM Modi over his 'RSS role in freedom struggle' remarks

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], October 2 (ANI): All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday strongly refuted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent claims about the RSS's role in India's freedom struggle, asserting that no Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh member sacrificed their life for the country's independence.
Addressing the inauguration of developmental works at Shaikpet in Hyderabad, the AIMIM chief said, "The Prime Minister claimed that the RSS took part in the war for freedom. I was surprised and concerned about where this story comes from. History shows that not a single RSS member lost their life fighting for the country. If someone can name one, I am willing to hear it."
He pointed out that the RSS founder, KB Hedgewar, was associated with the freedom struggle before establishing the organisation.
"Hedgewar opposed the British before forming the RSS, supported the Khilafat movement, and was jailed for a year. His involvement in the freedom struggle was prior to RSS's formation," Owaisi explained.
Owaisi also highlighted historical records, stating that during the 1930s and the Quit India Movement of 1942, RSS members did not actively participate in the struggle against the British.
"The British archives clearly mention that RSS workers never took part in the war and posed no threat," he said.
He further criticised the RSS for its ideological positions, referencing its opposition to the Indian Constitution and writings by its leaders such as Golwalkar, who in his book 'A Bunch of Thoughts' labelled Christians, Muslims, and leftists as "internal threats".
"The Prime Minister praises this ideology, but it goes against the Constitution and the principles of equality and secularism," Owaisi said.
Owaisi recalled the sacrifices of Indian Muslims during colonial rule, including the hardships faced by Maulvi Alauddin and Turribaz Khan, emphasising that the "RSS's historical record" does not align with claims of contributing to India's freedom struggle.
He also urged the Prime Minister to present factual accounts and not endorse the RSS's version of history.
"If I were to recount the entire history, many would be ashamed. Yet, the current narrative from the PM elevates an organisation that opposed the Constitution and ignored the sacrifices of countless Indians," he said.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, speaking during the centenary celebrations of RSS in the national capital, PM Modi praised the RSS for its long-standing commitment to nation-building. He said the RSS has helped nurture and strengthen countless lives over the years.
"Just as human civilisations flourish along the banks of mighty rivers, similarly, hundreds of lives have blossomed and thrived along the banks and in the flow of the RSS. Since its formation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has pursued a grand objective. That objective has been nation-building," PM Modi said. (ANI)