A light-hearted exchange between Rahul Gandhi and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh became a talking point during the party’s Foundation Day celebrations in New Delhi. The moment came a day after Digvijaya Singh’s social media post praising the organisational strength of the RSS-BJP caused discomfort within the Congress.
According to party sources, Digvijaya Singh met Rahul Gandhi at the Congress headquarters, Indira Bhavan, on Sunday. As the two leaders greeted each other, Rahul Gandhi jokingly told Singh, “You misbehaved yesterday.” The comment was made in a playful tone and led to laughter among leaders standing nearby, including former Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The interaction took place later in the day when senior leaders had gathered for tea and snacks after the formal event.
The joke referred to a post shared by Digvijaya Singh a day earlier, ahead of a Congress Working Committee meeting. In the post, Singh shared an old photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani. He praised the RSS-BJP organisational system, saying the picture showed how a grassroots worker rose to become chief minister and later prime minister due to strong organisation and discipline.
Singh’s post sparked criticism from within the Congress. Several leaders felt that praising the RSS-BJP structure sent the wrong message at a sensitive political time. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera reacted sharply, stating that the Congress did not need lessons from organisations linked to Nathuram Godse.
Following the backlash, Digvijaya Singh issued a clarification. He said that he strongly opposes the ideology of the RSS and Prime Minister Modi. According to him, his remarks were only meant to highlight organisational discipline and not to support or endorse their political views.
The issue also appeared to be indirectly addressed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge during his Foundation Day speech. Kharge said that the Congress has not compromised on the Constitution, secularism, or the rights of the poor. He stressed that while the party may not currently be in power, its values and ideology remain strong.
Kharge also said the Congress has never sought votes in the name of religion and accused the BJP of dividing society. He added that while political power may change, ideologies do not disappear.
The episode reflected both internal differences and friendly moments within the Congress on a day meant to celebrate the party’s history and core values.
