Akhilesh Yadav, chief of the Samajwadi Party
(SP), stirred a political debate in a press conference in Lucknow when he
asserted that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was banned by India’s first
Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Quoting AI-based chatbot ChatGPT,
Yadav alleged the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha were banned for their “alleged
role in the killing of Mahatma Gandhi.” These remarks made on Rashtriya Ekta
Diwas, the anniversary of Patel’s birth—have triggered wider discussion among
political circles and the media.
What Did
Yadav Actually Say?
During his address, Akhilesh Yadav claimed:
“You can ask ChatGPT why Sardar Patel banned
the RSS.” He added that both the RSS and
Hindu Mahasabha were banned for their “alleged role in the killing of Mahatma
Gandhi.” He further stated that the ban on the RSS was
lifted only after the organisation furnished a written assurance to the
government.
Yadav’s remarks were clearly pointed: he used
them to challenge the ruling party and its ideological roots, especially in the
context of national unity and historical legacy around Patel and Gandhi.
The
Historical Context: Was the RSS Banned?
Yadav’s claim rests on the assertion that the
RSS was banned by Sardar Patel. Historically, the RSS was banned after
Gandhi’s assassination in 1948, although the ban was not directly attributed to
Patel alone and was lifted in 1949. According to historical records:
The RSS faced a ban in the aftermath of
Gandhi’s death in January 1948.
On 11 July 1949, the Government of
India lifted the ban after the RSS accepted certain conditions: adoption of a
written constitution, acceptance of the Indian flag, and loyalty to the
Constitution.
In a letter to RSS chief M. S. Golwalkar,
Patel had expressed concerns over RSS speeches “full of communal poison” and
correlated that with Gandhi’s assassination.
So while Yadav’s broad assertion—“Patel banned
RSS”—has roots in the historical episode, the exact causal and political
narrative is more nuanced than his version suggests.
Why This
Matters Politically
Yadav’s comments carry significance for
several reasons:
Historical narrative and legitimacy: By
invoking Sardar Patel, Yadav taps into a symbolic figure of Indian integration
and national unity. He uses that symbolism to challenge the ideological
standing of the RSS and its connection with the ruling party.
Ideological battle: The RSS
is the ideological root of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and raising
questions about its past bans or associations challenges the current regime’s
historical narrative.
Use of AI reference: Yadav’s
mention of ChatGPT adds a modern-twist bringing in technology to verify
historical claims, even as it opens up questions of source reliability and
political commentary.
Political timing: The
remarks came on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, observed for Sardar Patel’s birth
anniversary, giving the message heightened symbolic weight.
Reactions
and Wider Implications
Reactions to Yadav’s statements have been
swift:
Mallikarjun Kharge, president of the Indian
National Congress (INC), also invoked similar historical debate and urged for a
ban on the RSS. He cited Patel’s 1948 letter blaming the organisation for
creating a “hate atmosphere” post-Gandhi assassination.
The BJP/RSS-friendly circles view such remarks
as politically motivated reinterpretation of history and defend the RSS’s role
in national service and social welfare.
The implications are broad: the debate touches
on how India’s political factions use historical figures and events to build
ideological narratives, how AI tools can be invoked in public discourse, and
how heritage days like Ekta Diwas become arenas of political messaging.
Key
Takeaways for Readers
RSS was banned, attributing the ban solely to
Patel or solely because of the Gandhi assassination is an oversimplification of
a complex historical context.
The invocation of ChatGPT— “you can check on
ChatGPT why Patel banned RSS”—is rhetorical and signals how modern discourse
uses AI references to bolster political claims.
The episode shows how historical legacy,
ideology and identity remain deeply contentious in Indian politics, and how
anniversaries or symbolic dates amplify such claims.
Conclusion
In simple terms: Akhilesh Yadav used the
memory of Sardar Patel to challenge the RSS and the political narrative around
it, claiming Patel banned the RSS due to its alleged role in Gandhi’s
assassination. While the RSS indeed faced a ban in 1948 and the ban was later
lifted, the story is historically nuanced. Yadav’s statements reflect how
history, politics and technology (ChatGPT) intertwine in today’s public
debates. For readers, the key is to understand the core claim, recognise the
complexity behind it, and follow the ensuing political responses.
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