Shashi Tharoor backs Digvijaya Singh’s call for Congress reforms amid RSS row

Singh had last week publicly flagged the need for reforms and decentralisation of power within the Congress in a social media post, tagging Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

While the remark by a senior leader caused embarrassment for the party, it also brought to the fore simmering discontent among sections of the veteran leadership.

The controversy deepened after Singh shared another post a day later, in which he appeared to praise the BJP-RSS organisational structure.

Posting a photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi sitting on the floor alongside BJP veteran L K Advani, the Rajya Sabha MP said the BJP-RSS ecosystem allows grassroots workers to rise to top positions such as chief minister and prime minister.

Although Singh later clarified that he remains a staunch opponent of the BJP and the RSS, the remarks sparked sharp reactions within the Congress.

Coming in the backdrop of repeated electoral setbacks, the episode exposed visible divisions in the party, with several leaders publicly defending Singh, even as the Congress reiterated its rejection of the RSS ideology and what it described as the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi’s killers.

Amid the row, Tharoor was asked by reporters whether he had spoken to Singh and whether he supported his call for reforms.

The Thiruvananthapuram MP, who recently shared a photograph of himself seated next to Singh at the Congress’s 140th foundation day event, said dialogue among colleagues was natural.

“We are friends, and having a conversation is natural. The organisation must be strengthened—there is no question about it,” Tharoor said.

Referring to the party’s long history, Tharoor added that the Congress has much to learn from its own past.

“We have a 140-year history; there’s a lot we can learn. I want the organisation to be strong. Discipline is essential. There must be discipline within our organisation,” he said.

The controversy also sparked a wider debate within the party over whether some leaders believe the RSS’s organisational discipline is a strength worth studying.

Singh sought to address the issue on Tuesday, asserting that he does not subscribe to that view.

“There is no need to learn anything from Gandhi’s killers,” Singh said, reiterating his opposition to the RSS-BJP ideology.

“I have fought communal forces in the Assembly and Parliament. I completely oppose their ideology. But every organisation needs to be strengthened,” he added.

The episode has once again highlighted the Congress’s internal churn as it grapples with questions of reform, discipline and unity ahead of key political challenges.