Rahul Gandhi’s ‘All-Male Cult’ Jibe at RSS Sparks Sharp Response From BJP, VHP

Rahul Gandhi’s description of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as an “all-male anti-constitutional cult” has drawn a strong response from the BJP and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). Both organisations have challenged the Congress leader’s comments, turning the dispute towards women’s representation, political conduct and the role of religion in public debate.

The controversy began after Gandhi posted on X on Tuesday, coinciding with the RSS’s foundation day. Referring to “Shiva-Shakti”, he criticised the organisation and claimed that many women associated with the Sangh were supporting his political opposition to it. He also accused the RSS of viewing women as the property of men.

BJP leaders dismissed his remarks as contradictory, while the VHP alleged that he was invoking religious references to advance his political argument.

BJP Turns the Spotlight on Congress’s Record

BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan questioned Gandhi’s credibility on women’s rights. He referred to alleged incidents involving a woman police personnel and a woman journalist, accusing the Congress leader of behaving inappropriately towards both.

Kesavan also raised the issue of allegations against a Congress MP facing multiple charges of sexually harassing students, questioning Gandhi’s response to the matter.

He argued that the Congress’s record in government did not match its public position on women’s empowerment. Kesavan claimed that despite governing India for more than 55 years at the Centre, the party had failed to pass the women’s reservation Bill.

“Rahul Gandhi sermonising about treating women with respect is indeed most sadistic and cruel given how Rahul Gandhi in the recent past has misbehaved improperly and inappropriately with both a female police personnel and a woman journalist,” Kesavan said.

BJP Leaders Question Gandhi’s Understanding of RSS

BJP MLA Ram Kadam challenged Gandhi to familiarise himself with the RSS before criticising it. He pointed to the organisation’s women’s wing and maintained that women associated with it held prominent positions.

Kadam accused Gandhi of making claims without sufficient information and suggested that his remarks were intended to attract attention.

“Are you going to tweet from your X handle based on incomplete information just to grab headlines? At the very least, get your facts straight. Tweeting with such a childish, immature mindset does not befit a leader of the opposition,” he said.

N Ramchander Rao, the Telangana BJP president, also disputed Gandhi’s claim that women were backing his campaign against the RSS. He accused the Congress of being dominated by men and challenged it to account for its own record on women’s representation.

Rao also questioned the party’s position on the proposed 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures in connection with delimitation.

VHP Says Gandhi Is Contradicting Himself

Vinod Bansal, the VHP’s national spokesperson, described Gandhi’s remarks as a sign of “intellectual bankruptcy”. He alleged that the Congress leader frequently made contradictory statements in his political attacks.

Bansal questioned Gandhi’s assertion that women associated with the RSS supported him. He drew parallels with earlier claims by Gandhi that government officials, police personnel, security forces and people within the government were on his side.

The VHP spokesperson also took issue with Gandhi’s reference to Shiva-Shakti, accusing him of using religious imagery selectively for political purposes.

VHP Cites Religious Practices in Counterattack

Bansal defended the Sangh Parivar by pointing to the presence of women religious leaders in Hindu traditions. He contrasted this with practices in other religious communities, where, he claimed, women faced restrictions on entering or participating in certain religious spaces.

He also called on Gandhi to stop using language he described as abusive towards Hindu organisations.

The exchange has widened the political confrontation between the Congress and organisations affiliated with the BJP. While Gandhi’s post focused on the RSS and its position on women, the BJP and VHP have responded by challenging his claims and bringing the Congress’s record on women’s rights into the debate.