During an event, Gandhi remarked that "the soul of the nation is afflicted with cancer, and the Sangh Parivar is spreading this cancer."
Published Mar 13, 2025 | 10:06 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 13, 2025 | 5:24 PM
BJP-RSS workers confronting Tushar Gandhi.
Synopsis: Activists of RSS and BJP confronted Tushar Gandhi over his comments criticising the Sangh Parivar. In response, BJP supporters shouted slogans against him, while Congress workers rallied in his support, echoing pro-Gandhi sentiments.
Tensions flared in Neyyattinkara in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala on Wednesday, 12 March, when the activists of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and BJP confronted Tushar Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and a prominent Gandhian social activist.
The incident occurred following the unveiling ceremony of a statue honoring Gandhian leader P Gopinathan Nair.
During his address at the event, Gandhi remarked that “the soul of the nation is afflicted with cancer, and the Sangh Parivar is spreading this cancer.”
Gandhi’s statement prompted immediate backlash from RSS and BJP members who were present near the meeting venue. As Gandhi departed from the venue, activists led by BJP councilor Mahesh blocked his path, demanding a retraction of his comments.
Standing firm, Gandhi reiterated his stance and left, chanting “Jai Gandhi.”
In response, BJP supporters shouted slogans against him, while Congress workers rallied in his support, echoing pro-Gandhi sentiments.
The BJP criticised Gandhi’s remarks, stating that the event’s organizing committee included representatives from all political parties and was not intended as a platform for political discourse.
Reacting to the incident, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President and MP K Sudhakaran condemned the actions of the RSS and BJP, and labelled them an affront to Kerala’s secular values.
He remarked, “The ghost of Godse has affected BJP and RSS. Communal forces that glorify Godse while mocking Gandhiji have no place in the secular soil of Kerala.” Sudhakaran further accused the Sangh Parivar of being a “cancer” threatening the nation’s secularism, democracy, and freedom.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly condemned the BJP-RSS confrontation on Tushar Gandhi, calling it an assault on the secular and democratic values of the nation. The chief minister criticised the RSS for targeting Tushar Gandhi, likening their actions to the mindset of those who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi.
“This seditious mentality must be confronted. Freedom of expression cannot be compromised in a democratic society,” he asserted, warning of legal and democratic measures against such attacks.
Pinarayi Vijayan also highlighted Tushar Gandhi’s concerns about communalism eroding the nation’s soul.
“Kerala has always upheld a culture of respecting diverse opinions. The Sangh Parivar is tarnishing that tradition,” he said, adding that attempts to obstruct the movement of national and international personalities in the state would not be tolerated.
He urged a united response from secular and democratic forces, stressing that silence is not an option in the face of such provocations.
“Only through strong public awareness and protests can we safeguard our right to free expression,” he said.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Dileep V Kumar.)
