Mumbai, October 22, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has criticised RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s recent remarks on public protests, arguing that demonstrations against the Narendra Modi-led government are a legitimate democratic exercise rather than a sign of anarchy.
In an editorial published in the party mouthpiece Saamana on Thursday, the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction accused the RSS leadership of supporting a political establishment that it described as a source of crisis for the country.
The editorial took issue with Bhagwat’s Vijayadashami address, in which he warned that public agitations could be exploited for political interests and deepen social divisions. It said his references to unrest in France, Italy, Belgium, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh failed to adequately acknowledge public anger against authoritarian governance.
The article also questioned Bhagwat’s observation that changing a government does not necessarily resolve fundamental problems. It interpreted the remark as raising questions about the political transition that brought Prime Minister Narendra Modi to power in 2014.
Recalling the RSS’s involvement in earlier political movements, including the change of government in 1977, the editorial questioned whether the organisation now regretted its role in shaping India’s political direction.
The Thackeray faction blamed the ruling establishment for what it described as mounting economic and institutional challenges over the past 12 years. These included inflation, unemployment, youth distress, corporate favouritism, the concentration of national wealth and the alleged weakening of democratic institutions.
It also cited concerns involving the judiciary, the Election Commission, Parliament, national security, student protests over examination paper leaks and agrarian distress.
The editorial questioned whether India could have achieved independence without mass participation in the freedom struggle. It also cited the Ram Mandir movement and the RSS-inspired Anna Hazare campaign to challenge the suggestion that public agitation amounted to anarchy.
Concluding its criticism, the party argued that protests were essential to restrain unchecked political power and urged Bhagwat not to lend support to what it described as a threat to India’s democratic fabric.
The remarks reflect the continuing political disagreement between the Thackeray-led faction and the BJP-led establishment over the role of public movements and dissent in a democracy.
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