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Business Standard
a day ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
PM Modi praising RSS in Independence Day speech insults the day: Vijayan
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "glorifying" the RSS in his Independence Day speech, saying it was "tantamount to insulting the day itself" and the freedom struggle. In a statement issued by his office, Vijayan said the PM's praise for the RSS was an attempt to "attribute fatherhood of the independence" to the right wing organisation which was banned after Mahatma Gandhi's assassination. Terming Modi's action as a "denial of history", the CM said such "ridiculous measures cannot whitewash" the RSS which has a "poisonous history" of divisive politics. "The Prime Minister's use of the Independence Day speech to glorify the RSS is tantamount to insulting the day itself," he said in the statement. Modi on Friday hailed 100 years of RSS as a "very proud and glorious" journey of the "world's biggest NGO" and lauded all its volunteers for their dedicated service to the nation. "Today I want to mention one thing with great pride that 100 years ago an organisation was born -- the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Its 100 years of national service has been a very proud and glorious page," said Modi, who has been an RSS pracharak in the past. Vijayan further said that the praise for the RSS and the placing of V D Savarkar's image above that of Mahatma Gandhi in the Independence Day greeting card of the Union Petroleum Ministry, reveals that it is all "part of a vast conspiracy". The Marxist veteran claimed that the RSS was carrying the "dirty burden of hatred, communalism and riots". He urged the country to stand united and confront any move to bury the history of human love and reciprocity and replace it with hatred.
Hans India
a day ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Kerala CM Vijayan criticises PM Modi for 'glorifying RSS' in I-Day speech
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of using the country's 79th Independence Day address to glorify the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and V.D. Savarkar. 'It's not acceptable at all as the attempt to project the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and V.D. Savarkar as central figures in India's independence movement. Choosing Independence Day itself to glorify those who compromised with colonial powers is being seen as an insult to the freedom struggle,' Vijayan wrote on social media. He went on to point out that the RSS was banned in the aftermath of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, while Savarkar himself faced trial in the conspiracy linked to Mahatma Gandhi's murder. 'Associating them with the 'fatherhood of freedom' is a denial of history. PM Modi's Independence Day address, which indirectly valorised the RSS, was a misuse of the solemn occasion. Moreover, the decision of the Union Petroleum Ministry's Independence Day greeting card placing Savarkar's image above Gandhi's is nothing but a part of a larger conspiracy to rewrite history,' added Vijayan. 'India's independence movement was a collective battle, cutting across caste, creed, language, and religion. In contrast, the RSS distanced itself from the movement and openly opposed its ideological foundations. Instead of inclusive Indian nationalism, it promoted a majoritarian Hindutva vision,' added Vijayan. Citing history, Vijayan further pointed out that when the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution on November 26, 1949, the RSS mouthpiece Organizer editorialised that the Manusmriti should have been the guiding text instead of the Constitution. Similarly, the Hindu Mahasabha under Savarkar had even boycotted the celebrations of August 15, 1947. 'Those who turned their backs on the freedom struggle are now attempting to insert themselves into its history, while sidelining real martyrs, such as those of the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising or the victims of the Wagon Tragedy. Those who call for commemorating Partition horrors on August 14 have little moral standing to lecture the nation on Independence Day,' wrote Vijayan. Vijayan ends his piece by stating that any attempt to replace the legacy of humanism and unity with sectarian hatred must be resisted collectively.
Hans India
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Explosives used without noticeahead of Yogi's Bahraich visit
Bahraich: Two days ahead of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's proposed visit to Bahraich, a company authorised by the Union Petroleum Ministry allegedly used large quantity of explosives for drilling without informing the local administration, officials said. Local BJP MLA Surveshvar Singh termed the incident a 'serious security lapse' and demanded cancellation of the chief minister's visit. Sub-Divisional Magistrate Alok Prasad told PTI that Alpha Geo India Limited was assigned the task of drilling and surveying for oil and gas deposits by the Petroleum Ministry. The firm as using ammonium nitrate explosives for the survey. Though the company was carrying out government-sanctioned work, it failed to follow the standard operating procedures (SOP) and did not inform the local administration, he said. This caused panic among villagers and resentment among the public representatives. Upon receiving information, police and administrative staff reached the site and initiated an inquiry, the SDM added. He said that around 200 employees of the company were working in different shifts across multiple villages, most of whom are from West Bengal and face a language barrier with the locals. To ensure their safety amid growing tension, all employees were brought to the Hardi police station, he added. Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Durga Prasad Tiwari said the company had drilled up to 30 metres underground using ammonium nitrate without prior intimation to villagers or authorities. 'Today, around 50-60 employees deployed on the field were called to the police station for questioning. No one has been detained so far. The decision on filing an FIR will be taken after further inquiry,' he said. Raising alarm, Mahsi MLA Sureshvar Singh said with the chief minister scheduled to visit on Tuesday, the presence of hundreds of outsiders and 500 kilograms of explosives in the district is highly concerning.
Mint
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Explosives used without alert ahead of Yogi Adityanath's Bahraich visit. BJP MLA flags ‘serious security lapse'
Two days ahead of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's proposed visit to Bahraich, a company authorised by the Union Petroleum Ministry allegedly used large quantity of explosives for drilling without informing the local administration, officials said. Local BJP MLA Surveshvar Singh termed the incident a 'serious security lapse' and demanded cancellation of the chief minister's visit. Sub-Divisional Magistrate Alok Prasad told news agency PTI that Alpha Geo India Limited was assigned the task of drilling and surveying for oil and gas deposits by the Petroleum Ministry. The firm used ammonium nitrate explosives for the survey. Though the company was carrying out government-sanctioned work, it failed to follow the standard operating procedures (SOP) and did not inform the local administration, he said. This caused panic among villagers and resentment among the public representatives. Upon receiving information, police and administrative staff reached the site and initiated an inquiry, the SDM added. He said that around 200 employees of the company were working in different shifts across multiple villages, most of whom are from West Bengal and face a language barrier with the locals. To ensure their safety amid growing tension, all employees were brought to the Hardi police station, he added. Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Durga Prasad Tiwari said the company had drilled up to 30 metres underground using ammonium nitrate without prior intimation to villagers or authorities. "Today, around 50-60 employees deployed on the field were called to the police station for questioning. No one has been detained so far. The decision on filing an FIR will be taken after further inquiry," he said. Raising alarm, Mahsi MLA Sureshvar Singh said with the chief minister scheduled to visit on Tuesday, the presence of hundreds of outsiders and 500 kilograms of explosives in the district is highly concerning. "Intelligence reports have warned of possible infiltration by 47 terrorists through the Indo-Nepal border. Imagine the security risk at an event where the chief minister and possibly the Prime Minister will be present, commemorating Maharaja Suheldev, he said. The MLA said he had spoken to the state's Principal Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad and urged him to cancel the chief minister's visit until the matter is fully resolved. This is a serious security lapse. Kuldeep Sharma, a representative of Alpha Geo India Limited, admitted to the lapse. "We had informed the concerned authorities back in February. However, we should have informed them again before commencing work involving explosives. Since today was Sunday, we proceeded without intimation, which was a mistake," he told the news agency PTI.
