Why India’s RSS is lobbying the West amid attacks on minorities at home
Summary
India’s Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a right-wing Hindu group, is organizing trips to the United States and other Western countries to improve its public image amid international criticism about violence against religious minorities in India. The group is linked with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has faced accusations of promoting Hindu nationalism and intolerance.Key Facts
- The RSS was founded in 1925 as a Hindu volunteer organization promoting the idea of Hindutva, which seeks to make India a Hindu-majority nation.
- The group runs schools, hospitals, and media outlets to spread its ideology.
- RSS leaders in the past admired fascist leaders like Mussolini and Hitler, and their writings praised policies targeting minorities.
- RSS has been banned multiple times in India, including after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi by a former member.
- The RSS is closely linked to the BJP, India’s ruling party, and many BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have been members of the RSS.
- Modi has been prime minister since 2014 and was re-elected for a third term in June 2024.
- The RSS announced plans to visit Western countries to counter claims it supports violence against minorities.
- A US federal agency reported that the RSS has been involved in violent acts against minorities in India for decades.
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