PM Modi trying to do outdo Golwalkar: Derek O'Brien

New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) A day after Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar praised the RSS in the House, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was trying to "outdo" MS Golwalkar, the second sarsanghchalak of the Hindutva organisation.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader shared a recent article written by him on X.

"Modi trying to outdo RSS's Golwalkar," he said in a post on X, sharing a post by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who also slammed the RSS.

In the article shared on his personal blog, O'Brien said seven out of 10 ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government come from the Sangh Parivar, four out of 10 governors are former pracharaks and volunteers of the RSS and its affiliates, and chief ministers and deputy chief ministers in eight out of the 12 BJP-ruled states are swayamsevaks.

He also said six out of 10 agreements to run Sainik School have been awarded to RSS sympathizers or allied organizations.

O'Brien added that the RSS distanced itself from India’s freedom struggle, and in the 1930s, when Mahatma Gandhi launched his Dandi March or Salt Satyagraha, K B Hedgewar, the founder of the RSS, announced that the organization would not participate.

He also pointed out that post-independence, the RSS has been banned thrice by the Government of India.

During the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Samajwadi Party's Ramji Lal Suman said the RSS affiliation was the criterion for the government in selecting the head of the National Testing Agency (NTA).

At this point, Dhankhar had ordered that the comments will not go on record.

"I hereby rule that RSS is an organisation that has full constitutional rights to participate in the development journey of this nation. This organisation bears unimpeachable credentials, comprises of people who are deeply committed to serving the nation selflessly," Dhankhar said.

"It is soothing to note, it is wholesome to note, that RSS as an organisation has been contributing for national welfare, our culture, and everyone should, as a matter of fact, take pride in any organisation which is acting in this manner," he added.

Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge had defended Suman, saying if a member was speaking within the rules and not violating any rule, he or she should not be prevented from making his statement.

He went on to state that what Suman said was "correct" and what Dhankhar was doing was not right.

The chairman said Kharge has indicated that the chair can intervene when there is transgression of rules.

"I agree with that. The member wasn't transgressing rules, he was trampling on the Constitution of India," he said. "I will not permit a member to single out an organisation which is doing national service. This is a violation of the Constitution." He further said that Suman's statement was a violation of Fundamental Rights and the Constitution.

"I declare that the member raised the issue which is not only against the rule (but also) against the Constitution of India," he said.

"RSS has all right to contribute to the national growth, for national development. To take exception that a member of this organisation cannot participate in the development of the nation is not only unconstitutional but beyond the rules," he said.

Dhankhar said the RSS is an organisation, which is "a global think tank of the highest order". PTI AO AS AS