Prafulla Ketkar hails RSS as civilizational force, Tushar Gandhi calls it divisive

At India Today Conclave Mumbai, a heated debate unfolded on the RSS as it approaches its centenary. RSS magazine editor Prafulla Ketkar traced the Sangh’s journey from “neglect and contempt” to what he called today’s “acceptance,” describing it as a civilisational force rooted in India’s “spiritual democracy.” He argued that the RSS philosophy sees “Hindu” as the defining strength of Bharat and aims to unify society beyond divisions. In sharp contrast, author Tushar Gandhi, great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, denounced the RSS as an organization that “thrives on hate, divisiveness and murder,” warning that its ideology has shaped India from independence to the present day. The session saw the two panelists spar over Gandhi’s own ideas of Ram Rajya, the RSS’s legacy, and whether its influence unites or fractures the idea of India. Watch full session here.