RSS 'upset' with Modi over handling of Covid situation?

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 29

At a time when the Narendra Modi government is facing all-round flak for "leading India into the Covid catastrophe", it appears that the BJP's ideological fountainhead, the RSS, is "upset" with the way the situation is being "handled" by party leaders and becoming increasingly "uncomfortable" over the "indefensible situation".

While senior leadership is generally maintaining silence for now but a Delhi RSS leader, Rajiv Tulli, created quite a stir on Wednesday when he hit out Delhi BJP for their "virtual absence" in the ongoing crisis. Sources say, "naturally everyone is worried but now is not the time (to criticise)."

"It will not help anyone, things should come under control first. We are helping out in every way we can. But there is no way anyone can defend this type of a situation," said an RSS functionary.

Notably, earlier this year, Sangh's highest decision-making body, the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), had passed a unanimous resolution praising several initiatives of the Narendra Modi government such as the Vande Bharat Mission, Vaccine Maitri campaign, Shramik special trains and the ongoing Covid vaccination drive, besides hailing the society for the resilient fight it put up to combat the dreaded virus

Last year, Dattatreya Hosabale, the current General Secretary of the Sangh, had praised Prime Minister Modi for "his timely intervention in containing Covid-19" and steps in dealing with the unprecedented situation

Meanwhile, it so appears that many in the BJP are worried over the repercussions of the "early" praise for the PM.

On March 17, the party's Parliamentary party passed a resolution lauding the Prime Minister's handling of the pandemic. Meanwhile, in February, its national executive praised the PM and his government’s response to the Covid pandemic and economic management amid a global slump.