Fact Check: Is RSS extending support to India Bloc for 2024 elections?

Screenshot of the viral video

With less than a month left for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a video of a press conference under the banner of ‘Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’ is doing the rounds on social media. The video stated that the RSS, the parent organization of the Bharatiya Janata Party, has provided support to the multi-party opposition alliance Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) in the upcoming general election.

In the viral video, a man named Janardhan Moon said that they have pledged their support to the Bloc of India in order to defeat the BJP. The video has been shared on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), with the X post racking up over 300,000 views and 6,600 likes as of this writing. An archived version of such posts can be accessed here .

Image source: Screenshot of viral post. (Source: X/Facebook/Modified by logical facts)

However, this statement is misleading. The video does not show the RSS, the ideological parent of the BJP, but an organization of the same name, distinct from the one founded by Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in September 1925.

How do we find the truth?

We noticed a logo in the upper right corner of the video that read “Awaaz India”. Inspired by this, we discovered that the entire press conference was posted on a YouTube channel called “AWAAZ INDIA TV” on March 24.

The video was titled “Nagpur: RSS backs Congress, creates uproar on RSS chief Janardan Moon Abdul Pasha’s national computer”. The viral clip runs from 0:35 to a 12-minute long 2:55 minute mark. Original footage.

After further research, we found that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh led by Janardhan Moon has no connection with the RSS, which is part of the “Sangh Parivar” (a conglomeration of several right-wing organizations). The latter has been under the leadership of Mohan Mohan Bhagwat for more than two decades.

RSS vs. RSS

According to a report by The Times of India on January 22, 2019, the Bombay High Court rejected social worker Janardhan Moon’s request to register a non-profit organization named “Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)”. The court said a society with the same name already existed and rejected the request.

According to reports, Janardhan Moon had established an organization called “Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)” in 2017 and announced himself as the chairman of the organization. The organization also applied unsuccessfully online for registration with the Charity Commissioner, Nagpur, in September 2017, before filing a case in the High Court.

Meanwhile, the original Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was founded in Nagpur in 1925 by Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar and Mohan Bhagwat was appointed Sarsanghchalak (head of the organization) in 2009.

Although the Janardhan Moon-led RSS and the Mohan Bhagwat-led RSS have the same name and spelling, they have different logos.

Comparison of the logos of two different organizations called RSS. (Source: YouTube/Wikipedia/Modified by logical facts)

Furthermore, neither Mohan Bhagwat nor the RSS has announced an extension of support to the Indian bloc in the upcoming polls.

RSS Digital Calling Organization of the same name

The weekly Organizer, considered the mouthpiece of the Mohan Bhagwat-led RSS, on March 26 called the eponymous organization “FAKE RSS” on the X website.

After scolding #RSS For over 75 years, #Congress and INDI alliance come up with their own ‘fake RSS’ to confuse voters

Desperate attempt?#FakeRSS_Alertpic.twitter.com/UCdAxEpbdY

— Organizer Weekly (@eOrganiser) March 26, 2024

Logically Facts contacted RSS leader Dr Manmohan Vaidya who forwarded an official statement from the right-wing outfit’s current spokesperson Sunil Ambedkar. In his statement, Ambedkar lashed out at Janardan Moon, saying, “He is still trying to mislead people. Therefore, his actions will soon be questioned by the police and social media companies to remove relevant posts and video.”

We found that Rakesh Panday, national social media and IT head of RSS offshoot Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), also called the eponymous organization “fake” on X, further questioning the intention behind registering itself under the name of an existing RSS

Some people set up a fake organization in the name of RSS to deceive themselves and their leftist colleagues, but not the society.

Since 1925, Sanger has been working at home and then around the world. Their claims are hollow and inspired by political conspiracy, at the behest of Janardan Moon and his anti-national and anti-Modi gang… pic.twitter.com/TicBRuN4Ik

— Rakesh Panday (@iRakeshPanday) March 26, 2024

judgment

The Mohan Bhagwat-led Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is yet to extend support to the Indian bloc in the 2024 general elections. A video of a leader from a different organization of the same name (not related to the original RSS) pledging support to the opposition alliance was shared along with this misleading claim.

This story was originally published on logical factsand was re-released by NDTV as part of Shakti Collective.