Indias RSS Lobbies Western Governments Amid Domestic Minority Attacks

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The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist organization, has announced plans to visit several Western countries, including the United States. The visits are part of an effort to promote the group’s image globally and address concerns about its involvement in violence against minority groups.

The RSS was founded in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in Nagpur, India. It is a volunteer organization that operates schools, hospitals, magazines, and publishing houses, and advocates for the idea of Hindutva, a concept that aims to promote Hindu dominance in Indian society.

According to experts, the RSS has been accused of promoting hate speech against minority groups, including Muslims and Christians. The group’s ideology has been compared to fascist movements, with some critics citing writings by its founders as inspiration from Mussolini and Hitler.

The RSS is also closely tied to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been in power in India since 2014. Current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who joined the RSS in 1972, has been a key figure in the party’s rise to power.

In recent years, incidents of hate speech against minorities in India have increased, with a 13% rise reported by the India Hate Lab, a US-based research group. The majority of these incidents occurred in states and union territories governed by the BJP.

The RSS has been banned in India several times, including in 1948 after a former member assassinated independence leader Mahatma Gandhi. Despite this, the group remains a significant force in Indian politics and continues to promote its ideology through various means, including international outreach efforts.

Source: Al Jazeera