Youth Congress protests outside RSS headquarters over alleged ‘casteist’ ideology

Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers staged a protest outside the RSS headquarters in Delhi’s Jhandewalan on Sunday, accusing the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of promoting a “discriminatory and casteist” ideology. Some demonstrators burned pages of the Manusmriti during the protest, while others carried copies of the Preamble to the Constitution and posters bearing messages such as “Reject Manu Smriti”.

The demonstration was led by IYC national president Uday Bhanu Chib, who carried a copy of the Constitution and framed the protest as an ideological contest over the values that should govern the country. “This country will be governed by the Constitution, not by the Manusmriti,” Chib said, alleging that the BJP-RSS worldview was “anti-Dalit”. These were allegations made by the Congress youth organisation; there was no immediate response from the RSS to the specific charges made during Sunday’s demonstration.

Protest linked to Kharge ‘purification’ row

The IYC protest also centred on the controversy surrounding a “shuddhikaran” or purification ceremony conducted at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, two days after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a rally there on August 8.

Congress leaders have alleged that the ceremony amounted to an act of untouchability directed at Kharge, who is a Dalit, and have sought action under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The organisation that conducted the ceremony, Shri Ram Sena Dharmarth Seva Nyas, has, however, denied any association with the BJP or RSS and disputed the Congress’s interpretation of the event.

Its president, Girish Chandra Pandey, has said the ceremony was held because the organisation objected to political and other activities at a site associated with Hindu cultural events. He has also claimed Dalits participated in the havan. The BJP has rejected Congress allegations that the party or the government was behind the ceremony.

The issue has nevertheless developed into a major political confrontation. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have demanded registration of an FIR against those responsible, with Priyanka on Sunday calling for action under the SC/ST Act. Union minister and Uttarakhand BJP leader Ajay Tamta has denied any BJP or RSS involvement and accused the Congress of misrepresenting the episode.

IYC chief detained during demonstration

During Sunday’s protest, demonstrators raised slogans and displayed copies of the Constitution alongside material opposing the Manusmriti. Visuals showed partially burnt pages and posters on the ground after some protesters set pages of the ancient text on fire.

Police subsequently intervened and detained Chib, according to the IYC, which said he was taken to Paharganj police station. IYC national general secretary Hari Krishna and other office-bearers were also present at the demonstration.

The protest comes as the Congress intensifies its campaign around caste discrimination and constitutional protections. The party has sought to portray the Haldwani episode as part of a wider ideological disagreement with the BJP and RSS, while the ruling party has rejected attempts to attribute the actions of the organisation that conducted the ceremony to it.

The competing claims surrounding the Haldwani event remain politically contested, with no evidence cited so far establishing that the BJP or RSS organised the purification ceremony. Sunday’s demonstration, however, indicates that the Congress intends to keep the issue at the centre of its political campaign over caste equality and constitutional rights.