Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh recently found himself at the center of a political controversy. He shared an old photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then clarified his position, stating he remains a "staunch opponent" of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and PM Modi. The incident unfolded on Saturday, December 27, 2025, just as the Congress Working Committee (CWC) held a crucial meeting in New Delhi.^[1][2][3] ### Old Photo Sparks Political Debate Singh, a Rajya Sabha MP and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, posted a black-and-white photograph on X, an online social media platform.^[1][4] The image, which he said he found on the Quora website, showed a younger Narendra Modi sitting on the floor near veteran BJP leader LK Advani at a Gujarat event in the 1990s.^[1][2][5] Singh's post highlighted how a grassroots worker from the RSS and Jan Sangh could rise through organizational ranks to become a chief minister and eventually the prime minister. He called this an example of the "power of organization."^[1][5][4] The photo was reportedly taken during the swearing-in ceremony of former Gujarat chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela in 1996.^[5][4][6] The timing of Singh's post was notable, coinciding with a key Congress Working Committee meeting.^[1][3] Many political observers quickly interpreted his remarks as a subtle commendation of the BJP and RSS, organizations that the Congress party frequently criticizes.^[1][4][7] Some also saw it as an indirect message to his own party's leadership, particularly Rahul Gandhi, regarding the need for stronger organizational structures and decentralized functioning within the Congress.^[5][7][8] ### Singh Issues Firm Clarification As the controversy grew, Digvijaya Singh moved to clarify his statements. He told reporters that his comments had been misinterpreted.^[1][2] Singh stressed that while he admired strong organizational structures, his ideological opposition to the RSS and Prime Minister Modi had not changed.^[1][2][9] "I support organisation. I am against the RSS and Modi ji. I have praised 'sangathan'. I was, am and will remain a staunch opponent of the RSS and Modi. Is praising organisation a bad thing?" Singh stated after the CWC meeting.^[1][2] He reiterated that he was only praising the concept of a strong organization, not the ideology of the RSS or the policies of the Prime Minister.^[9][3][10] Singh emphasized that the RSS does not respect the Constitution or the country's laws and is an unregistered organization.^[9] He noted that acknowledging the effectiveness of an organization does not alter his political stance against them.^[11] ### BJP Reacts, Congress Context The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) quickly seized on Singh's initial remarks to criticize the Congress party. BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan described Singh's comments as a "truth bomb."^[1][5] Kesavan alleged that Singh's post exposed the "autocratic and undemocratic" way the Congress party's first family runs the organization.^[5][7] He questioned whether Rahul Gandhi would respond to these charges.^[5][7] This recent incident is not the first time Digvijaya Singh has publicly called for reforms within the Congress party. Just over a week earlier, he had posted on X, urging Rahul Gandhi to focus on strengthening the Indian National Congress.^[5][9][8] Singh had called for "pragmatic decentralised functioning" within the party, drawing parallels to the need for reforms in the Election Commission.^[5][9] He also reportedly raised the issue of strengthening the Congress organization at the grassroots level during the CWC meeting, stressing its importance in fighting the ruling BJP.^[12] However, sources indicated that some senior leaders, including Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, stopped Singh from raising matters other than the agenda of the CWC meeting, which was focused on an agitational plan against the scrapping of MGNREGA.^[12][13] Singh's consistent calls for internal reforms and his latest post, despite his clarification, highlight ongoing discussions within the Congress about its organizational strength and leadership strategy. The incident underscores the delicate balance senior leaders navigate when expressing views that could be interpreted in different ways by political rivals and their own party members. His clarification aims to reaffirm his long-held ideological position against the RSS and PM Modi, even while acknowledging the organizational capabilities of his political opponents. The political fallout from the initial post and subsequent clarification continues to be a topic of discussion in Indian political circles.

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