‘We can learn’: Shashi Tharoor’s ‘discipline’ retort to Digvijaya Singh’s RSS praise; signal for Congress? | India News

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday offered a measured response to senior party leader Digvijaya Singh’s praise for the organisational strength of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), remarks that triggered sharp reactions within the Congress and handed the BJP a fresh line of attack.“We have a history of 140 years, and we can learn a lot from it. We can learn from ourselves, too,” the Thiruvananthapuram MP said.“There should be discipline in our organisation. Digvijaya Singh can speak for himself,” he added.Calling Digvijaya Singh a “friend”, Tharoor, when asked whether he had spoken to Singh since his remarks ruffled feathers within the Congress, said: “We are friends, and having a conversation is natural. The organisation must be strengthened, there is no question about it.”Tharoor’s remarks came on the party’s 140th Foundation Day, which Tharoor described as “a very important day for the party” and “a day when we look back at our remarkable history and the contribution of Congress.” On Saturday, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting convened to finalise programmes to corner the government over the VB-G RAM G Act, was overshadowed by internal disquiet after Singh’s social media post praising the RSS-BJP’s organisational structure.Also read: Sharing PM Modi photo, Digvijaya Singh lauds Sangh, BJP says attack on RahulSingh had shared a 1990s photograph showing a young Narendra Modi seated on the floor while senior BJP leaders, including L K Advani, sat on chairs, calling it “very impressive” and describing PM Modi’s rise as the “strength of organisation”.At the CWC meeting, Singh reportedly criticised “over-centralisation” within Congress and pushed for decentralisation.Also read: How Cong reacted to Digvijaya Singh’s RSS praiseThe BJP seized on Singh’s comments. Spokesman Sudhanshu Trivedi said the BJP recognises a “gudri ke laal” like PM Modi, while Congress focuses on “Jawahar ke laal”.Singh later clarified that his remarks had been misunderstood. “I was, am and will be a trenchant critic of the RSS and Modi,” he said. He reiterated, “I am opposed to the ideology of the RSS… But I admire their organisational capacity.”Meanwhile, Congress media department chairman Pawan Khera drew a sharp line, saying, “There’s nothing to learn from the RSS. What can an organisation known for Godse teach an organisation founded by Gandhi?”Party MP Manickam Tagore shared a clip of an “excellent” own goal in football, writing, “Famous Self goal. We have one.”He later added, “There is nothing to learn from Godse’s organisation other than Hate. Congress at 140 is still young, and fights hate.”