Accused of attacks against minorities, the powerful Indian RSS launches an international offensive

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a powerful Hindu movement close to the Indian government, announced on Tuesday that it had launched a series of initiatives abroad to counter accusations of its alleged role in violence against religious minorities in India.

The Secretary General of the RSS, Dattatreya Hosabale, indicated that visits had been organized, notably to the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Further international trips are also planned for the coming months.

According to the RSS, these steps aim to correct what it considers a distorted image of the movement internationally. The group firmly rejects accusations portraying it as a paramilitary organization involved in attacks against minority communities.

This campaign comes after the publication of a report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which stated in November that the RSS had been involved "for decades" in acts of extreme violence and intolerance towards minority groups.

The RSS occupies a central place in the Indian political landscape. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself joined the organization during his youth, and the movement is considered one of the main ideological supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The BJP's political rise in recent years has relied heavily on the RSS's extensive network of volunteers. However, this progress has been accompanied by increasing polarization between Hindu and Muslim communities in this officially secular, Hindu-majority country.

Criticism of the RSS and the Indian government regarding minority rights has intensified internationally. Indian authorities regularly reject these accusations, claiming they are based on biased interpretations of the situation in the country.

This diplomatic offensive by the RSS thus illustrates the movement's desire to defend its image abroad, while debates on religious freedom and communal tensions continue to fuel controversies surrounding Indian power.