'Sangh Parivar glorifying Savarkar as a freedom fighter in place of Mahatma Gandhi'; Chief Minister lashes out at Prime Minister

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the attempt to attribute the paternity of India's freedom struggle to the RSS, which was banned after Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, and VD Savarkar, who faced trial for conspiracy to murder, is a denial of history. In his Facebook post, the CM stated that choosing Independence Day to glorify those who served the British insults the freedom movement. He added that no propaganda can whitewash the RSS, a communal organisation with a divisive political history, through such actions.

'The Prime Minister using his Independence Day speech to glorify the RSS is equivalent to insulting the day itself. The central government’s Independence Day card even placed VD Savarkar above Mahatma Gandhi. This shows a larger conspiracy to undermine the freedom struggle. It reveals the fear some people have of India’s freedom movement,' Pinarayi wrote.

He said Indians united beyond caste, religion, attire, and language to fight for freedom. “The RSS stood as Judas then,” he added.

Pinarayi said the RSS had openly opposed the basic principles of the freedom movement. Instead of promoting India’s inclusive nationalism, they promoted a majoritarian Hindu nationalism. On November 26, 1949, when the Constituent Assembly gave final approval to the Indian Constitution, the RSS newspaper 'Organiser' argued that the Manusmriti should replace the Constitution.

The CM noted that VD Savarkar and the Hindu Mahasabha, who had apologised to the colonial rulers, had decided to boycott the Independence Day celebrations on August 15, 1947. Now, the Sangh Parivar glorifies Savarkar as a freedom fighter in place of Mahatma Gandhi.

Throughout the freedom struggle, the RSS opposed the movement and now spreads false narratives claiming credit. They ignored martyrs killed in events like the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising and the Wagon Massacre. Pinarayi questioned how those who called to commemorate the Partition Horrors on August 14 can respect Independence Day.

'The RSS carries a burden of hatred, communalism, and violence. Those who promote inhumane ideologies cannot claim the glorious history of India’s freedom struggle. The memory of Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, and other martyrs cannot be equated with them. Any attempt to replace the history of humanity and mutual respect with hatred must be confronted by the nation as one,' the Chief Minister added.