Congress Claims the Patriotism Crown as Kharge Takes Aim at RSS

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge intensified his criticism of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Saturday, August 8, 2026, questioning the organisation’s contribution to India’s freedom struggle and accusing the BJP and its ideological mentor of lecturing the Congress on patriotism. Addressing a rally in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, Kharge also sounded the political bugle for the state Assembly election scheduled for 2027, using the history of the freedom movement to sharpen his attack on the BJP-RSS combine. Kharge Invokes Quit India Movement Kharge referred to August 8, 1942, the day associated with Mahatma Gandhi’s call for the Quit India Movement. He said the movement brought Indians together in opposition to British rule and ultimately contributed to the end of colonial rule in the country. The Congress president used the historical reference to contrast the party’s role in the freedom movement with what he described as the RSS’s lack of participation in the struggle against British rule. His remarks placed the freedom struggle at the centre of a contemporary political confrontation, with Kharge arguing that the Congress should not be lectured on patriotism by the BJP or the RSS. History Meets Election Politics Kharge’s speech also had a clear electoral dimension. With Uttarakhand scheduled to hold its next Assembly election in 2027, the Haldwani rally provided the Congress leadership with an opportunity to begin framing its political narrative well ahead of the contest. The reference to the Quit India Movement allowed Kharge to connect the Congress’s historical legacy with its present-day political identity. The BJP and RSS, meanwhile, remain central to the political contest in Uttarakhand, making the dispute over patriotism and the freedom movement part of a broader ideological battle between the two major political camps. A Long-Running Political Argument The role of different organisations in India’s freedom struggle has repeatedly become a subject of political debate. Congress has frequently highlighted its participation in the independence movement as part of its historical credentials, while the BJP and RSS have presented their own interpretations of India’s nationalist history. Kharge latest remarks revive that debate at a time when political parties are increasingly turning to historical figures and events to reinforce their contemporary political messages. Rather than being only a discussion about events of the 1940s, the argument has become part of the wider competition over nationalism, patriotism and political legitimacy. Uttarakhand Campaign Takes Shape The Haldwani rally also signals that the Congress is beginning to prepare its political campaign for the 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly election. By invoking Gandhi and the Quit India Movement, Kharge sought to place the Congress within the broader historical narrative of India’s independence while challenging the BJP-RSS leadership on its claims to represent nationalist politics. The exchange is likely to remain part of the political discourse as parties begin positioning themselves for the Uttarakhand election. For voters, however, the debate ultimately extends beyond competing historical claims to questions about governance, development and the issues affecting the state today.