Mumbai, August 7, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has questioned the ideological alignment between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), accusing the ruling establishment of suppressing youth protests while the RSS attempts to project itself as an organisation willing to engage with young people.
In an editorial published in the party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction criticised RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s outreach session with Gen Z in Mumbai, which was aimed at understanding concerns among young people following recent student demonstrations at Jantar Mantar.
The editorial described the initiative as hypocritical, arguing that Bhagwat was advocating dialogue while the Central government was allegedly using force against protesting students.
It highlighted what the party described as a contradiction within the Sangh Parivar, alleging that BJP leaders and affiliated organisations have branded protesting students as “anti-national” and members of the “Tukde Tukde Gang”, while the RSS leadership is seeking to establish a more conciliatory image.
The editorial also cited alleged instances of police harassment of young activists, including Riya Ahir, who it claimed faced action after trying to prevent the alleged detention of fellow protesters in Mumbai.
The party further alleged that despite public statements by the Prime Minister offering to pardon student protesters, police agencies under the Union Home Ministry continued to intimidate students and their families.
“Is this stance deemed appropriate by Mohan Bhagwat?” the editorial asked, while alleging that Indian democracy was being transformed into an autocracy.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) also invoked the 1975 Emergency, when it said the RSS had actively opposed restrictions on strikes, protests and civil liberties. It questioned why the organisation was not taking a similar position amid the current protests.
The editorial argued that any genuine outreach by Bhagwat should include students who participated in the protests, particularly those injured during alleged police lathi charges, rather than selected groups associated with the Sangh.
It also demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah address Parliament over alleged police excesses and the treatment of women protesters. The editorial called for withdrawal of what it described as false cases and an end to excessive use of force against protesting students.
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 in ‘Saamana’ questions RSS-BJP alignment, accusing the government of suppressing youth protests while RSS seeks dialogue.){kind=link}