GLOBAL PRESSURE MOUNTS TO BAN RSS OVER ANTI-MINORITY ACTIVITIES

New Delhi / Washington
India’s Hindu nationalist organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is facing intense international scrutiny, with calls growing across multiple countries for sanctions and a formal ban over allegations of promoting anti-minority violence and extremist ideology.
According to a Reuters report, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has recommended imposing a ban on the RSS, freezing its assets, and barring individuals affiliated with the organisation from entering the United States. The Commission linked the RSS to the promotion of violence, hatred, and intolerance against religious minorities in India.
The report states that the RSS, operating under the ideology of Hindutva, has systematically promoted religious extremism, and that its influence expanded significantly during the BJP-led government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the revocation of Kashmir’s special constitutional status are cited as major milestones of the RSS agenda achieved during this period.
Founded in 1925, the RSS has previously been associated — in historical context — with the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, a charge the organisation has long denied. The report notes that the RSS is now actively employing lobbying firms to improve its global image, particularly in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany, where its Secretary General Dattatreya Hosabale has announced expanded diplomatic outreach across Europe and Asia.
Political analysts observe that Prime Minister Modi’s ideological ties to the RSS have drawn increasing scrutiny, with the organisation’s activities also being cited as a growing obstacle in EU-India relations. Human rights groups warn that anti-minority incidents within India — including those allegedly linked to RSS-affiliated groups — are fuelling a broader international backlash against New Delhi.
The RSS has denied all allegations, maintaining that it is a cultural organisation committed to national service and Hindu values.