When we talk about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), opinions usually fly from all directions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has famously called it the "world's largest NGO" and praised its discipline and dedication. But if we dig into the archives, look at old cartoons, and read the speeches of India's founding fathers, a very different, and quite dark, picture emerges.

Here is a look at the history of the RSS that doesn't often make it to WhatsApp forwards, based on historical records and commentary.

An "Unregistered" Organization First off, it is interesting to note that the RSS, despite its massive influence on Indian politics, is technically an "unregistered cultural organization." It doesn’t fit into the standard box of a registered body, yet its presence is felt everywhere.

The Friction with Sardar Patel Today, the political wing associated with the RSS tries to claim the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. However, history tells us that Patel was actually the one who banned them. In a famous speech, Patel explicitly stated that the government was dealing with the "RSS movement." He warned that they wanted to impose "Hindu Raj" or "Hindu culture" by force.

Patel was clear: there are as many Muslims in India as in Pakistan, and you cannot drive them away by force. He believed the RSS ideology was dangerous to the stability of the nation.

Missing in Action During the Freedom Struggle A major criticism raised against the RSS is their absence during India's fight for independence. While freedom fighters were going to jail or facing bullets, the Sangh is accused of sitting on the sidelines. RSS leaders themselves point out that the organization didn’t even accept the Indian Tricolor flag for nearly 50 years after independence, finally hoisting it only in 2002.

Instead of fighting the British, the accusation is that they were comfortable taking pensions and staying loyal to the colonial rulers, focusing their energy on internal divisions rather than external freedom.

The Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi This is perhaps the darkest chapter. The narrative often pushed today is that Godse killed Gandhi solely because of the partition or the payout to Pakistan. However, history shows that attempts on Gandhi’s life began much earlier. There was a failed bombing attempt on Gandhi’s car in Pune as far back as 1934—long before the idea of Pakistan was even on the table.

There was a shocking cartoon published in 1945 in a magazine called Agrani, which was edited by Nathuram Godse. The cartoon depicted Gandhi as the demon king Ravana, with Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and others shooting arrows at him. This suggests that the hatred towards Gandhi wasn't just political; it was ideological.

The men involved in the 1934 attempt, like Narayan Apte, were the same ones involved in the successful assassination in 1948. Gandhi was targeted not just for being secular, but for fighting against the caste system and Manusmriti.

Manusmriti Over the Constitution Speaking of Manusmriti, the RSS had a rocky start with the Indian Constitution. Just four days after the Constitution was passed in 1949, the RSS mouthpiece, Organiser, published an editorial rejecting it. They explicitly stated they wanted the laws of Manusmriti instead.

For those who don't know, Manusmriti contains harsh, discriminatory laws against Shudras (lower castes) and women. It prescribes punishments like pouring hot oil into the ears of a Shudra if they hear religious teachings or cutting out their tongue if they speak against a Brahmin. This was the "law" the organization preferred over the equality promised by the Indian Constitution.

Character Assassination as a Tool There is a long-standing pattern of the RSS and its affiliates using fake news and morphed images to attack political opponents.

• Jawaharlal Nehru: Photos of Nehru hugging his sister or niece are frequently circulated with nasty captions to paint him as a womanizer.
• The Gandhis: Morphed photos of Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi (like photoshopping a cross onto her necklace) are used to question their "Indian-ness" or religion.
• APJ Abdul Kalam: Even the former President wasn't spared. A religious leader linked to the ideology called Kalam a "Jihadi" simply because he followed the protocol regarding mercy petitions.

The "Gobi Farming" of Bhagalpur One of the most disturbing references made is regarding a tweet by a current minister about "Gobi farming" in Bihar. This is a dog-whistle reference to the 1989 Bhagalpur riots, where hundreds of Muslims were massacred, and cauliflower (Gobi) was planted over their mass graves to hide the evidence. When leaders make jokes about such tragedies, it shows a celebration of violence.

Conclusion From celebrating the release of convicts in the Bilkis Bano case to withdrawing cases against those accused of lynching (like in the Akhlaq case), the trajectory seems clear. The hate isn't just about Muslims; it is about anyone who stands for a secular, democratic constitution—be it Gandhi, Nehru, or even Ambedkar.

While they may claim to be a social service organization, the history of the RSS is deeply tied to a specific, exclusionary idea of India—one that the country's founding fathers fought hard to prevent.