New Delhi [India], February 6: Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi has once again criticized the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), accusing the organization of trying to erase India’s diverse histories, cultures, and traditions.
Speaking at a protest organized by the DMK students’ wing against the University Grants Commission (UGC) draft rules, Gandhi claimed that the RSS’s ultimate goal is to impose a singular narrative on India, focusing on one history, one tradition, one language, and one idea.
“For some time now, I have been saying that the RSS aims to erase all other histories, cultures, and traditions in this country. That is their starting point, and that is what they want to achieve,” Gandhi said.
He went on to accuse the RSS of attacking the Constitution as part of a broader agenda to dominate the country’s cultural and educational spheres. “They attacked the Constitution because they wanted to impose their idea, their history, their tradition, and their language on India,” the Congress MP said.
Gandhi added that the RSS’s influence over India’s education system is another effort to further their agenda. “This attempt to alter the education system in different states is just another step in pushing their narrative,” he said.
The Congress leader expressed support for protests like the one organized by the DMK students’ wing, emphasizing the need to hold the RSS accountable for its actions. “I hope more protests like this take place because the RSS needs to understand that they cannot attack the Constitution, they cannot attack our states, our cultures, our traditions, or our histories,” Gandhi asserted.
The DMK students’ protest in New Delhi was in opposition to the proposed changes in the UGC draft guidelines, which they believe threaten the federal nature of India’s education system. The new guidelines, which were announced by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, allow candidates to qualify for faculty positions in higher education by passing the UGC-NET exam in a subject of their choice, even if their undergraduate and postgraduate degrees are in different disciplines.
The draft also proposes changes to the selection process for vice-chancellors, including expanding eligibility to include professionals from academia, research institutions, public policy, public administration, and industry. Additionally, the guidelines suggest that the subject of a candidate’s PhD degree will take precedence over the disciplines studied at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels when selecting faculty members.