Congress Leader Calls RSS ‘Indian Taliban’; BJP Hits Back

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Aug 17, 2025: Senior Congress leader BK Hariprasad sparked controversy by calling the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) the “Indian Taliban” while criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for praising the organisation in his Independence Day speech.

Hariprasad alleged that the RSS disturbs peace, is not registered as per law, and has no role in the freedom struggle. He also accused the Sangh and BJP of “twisting history” and blamed their leaders for pushing the idea of Partition.

Reacting sharply, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the Congress insults nationalist organisations while sympathising with banned outfits. He cited Mahatma Gandhi, Jayaprakash Narayan and Pranab Mukherjee’s praise of the RSS, adding that “the Congress mindset itself is Taliban.”