Prayagraj: Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University has announced that the history of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will now be part of undergraduate and postgraduate courses under the “Indian Knowledge Tradition” program. The decision was formally declared on Gandhi Jayanti by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Satyakam.
Prof. Satyakam stated that RSS ideology is closely tied to Indian cultural heritage and emphasizes self-reliance, indigenous thought, tolerance, and unity. According to him, the inclusion will strengthen national identity among youth and promote values such as Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
He argued that the curriculum addition would contribute to building a developed nation rooted in traditional values.
The Congress, however, strongly opposed the move. Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari said teaching RSS history would “tarnish the country’s image.”
He questioned whether the course would also include controversial aspects, such as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s post-Gandhi assassination letter blaming RSS’s “poisonous ideology” and the subsequent government ban on the organization.
Tiwari further alleged that during the 1942 Quit India Movement, RSS urged citizens not to participate and instead support the British. He asked whether such episodes of history would also be presented to students.
The announcement has sparked sharp political debate, with ruling and opposition parties likely to escalate arguments in the coming days.
