Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale speaks during an interview with PTI in New Delhi on May 12, 2026. | Photo credit: PTI
The Congress on Wednesday (May 13, 2026) hit out at senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary Dattatrey Hosabale over his remarks in support of dialogue with Pakistan, claiming that his recent visit to the United States appeared to have influenced both him and the Sangh.
Reacting to Mr. Hosabale’s remarks, Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said in an interview to PTI Videos that the RSS leader’s recent interactions in the US seemed to have an impact on his outlook.
“Shri Hosabale’s recent US trip, during which one of his colleagues admitted to the Prime Minister that he was doing what the US wanted him to do, seems to have affected him as much as the RSS,” Mr Ramesh said in a post on X.
He also addressed television channels and supporters of the ruling dispensation, saying they would “foam, rage and riot” if similar remarks were made by leaders outside the ideological fold of the RSS. “Just imagine how the bhakt brigade including various TV channels would foam, rage and riot if…,” he said.
In an interview, Mr. Hosabale said “there should always be a window” for dialogue with Pakistan and stressed the importance of people-to-people engagement in easing tensions between the two countries.
“The security and self-respect of the country has to be protected and the government of the day should take care of that. But at the same time, we don’t have to close the door. We should always be ready to engage them in dialogue,” said an RSS functionary.
He also noted that Pakistan’s political and military leadership had lost India’s trust and argued that civil society initiatives and greater public involvement could help break the diplomatic deadlock.
These remarks come against the backdrop of RSS outreach efforts in the West during its centenary year. Mr Hosabale traveled to the US and the UK last month, addressing gatherings at institutions including Stanford University and the Hudson Institute, besides interacting with members of the Indian diaspora.
The Congress also referred to senior RSS leader Ram Madhav’s recent comments during an event in the US where he suggested that India agree to certain US demands on oil imports and tariffs. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi then described the RSS as the “Rashtriya Surrender Sangh” and accused them of practicing “fake nationalism” in India while showing “servility” abroad.
Mr Madhav later apologized, saying his remarks were “factually incorrect” and clarified that India had not agreed to freeze Russian oil imports or accept the tariff measures imposed by the US administration.
Published – 13 May 2026 23:10 IST
