Rahul Gandhi calls RSS 'Rashtriya Surrender Sangh' after Ram Madhav's US tariff remarks

NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi on Saturday trained guns at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh after senior BJP leader Ram Madhav made a controversial remark on India's oil import. In a social media post on X, Rahul termed RSS as "Rashtriya Surrender Sangh" and said that Ram Madhav revealed "Sangh's true nature." "Rashtriya Surrender Sangh. Farzi nationalism in Nagpur. Pure servility in USA," the Congress leader said. "Ram Madhav has only revealed Sangh's true nature," he added. This comes after Ram Madhav landed himself in trouble after claiming that India had aligned closely with US interests by halting oil purchases from Iran and Russia, even as these efforts went unrecognised by the Trump administration. During a discussion that included former diplomat Elizabeth Threlkeld and former US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, Madhav said "We agreed to a 50 per cent tariff. Agreed means, we did not say anything. We maintained our patience. 50 per cent tariffs we agreed. Today, in the new trade deal also we agreed for 18 per cent tariffs higher than what it used to be. I mean, average tariff." "So, where is India lagging behind in that. What are those issues where India is not doing enough?" Madhav is heard saying in the video during an interactive session at the Hudson Institute. Congress latched on to Madhav's remarks and said that Narendra Modi has lost his authority to continue as the prime minister. In a post on X, K C Venugopal said, "Clear admission by a senior RSS leader - PM Modi is dancing to Washington's tunes." "There was once a time when the US' 7th Fleet was in the Bay of Bengal, and India didn't budge. And then there is today, where a Compromised PM has handed over India's sovereignty to the US," he added. The Congress leader said this is exactly what Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and the entire Opposition has been saying. "India has lost its independent voice on the world stage. "After this surrender, it's clear that Narendra Modi has lost his authority to continue as Prime Minister," Venugopal said in his post. Madhav, however, later apologised saying what he said was "wrong as India did not agree to stop import of oil from Russia. "What I said was wrong. India didn't agree to stopping import of oil from Russia anytime." "Also it vigorously protested 50 per cent tariff imposition. I was trying to make a limited counterpoint to the other panellist. But factually incorrect. My apologies," Madhav said in a post on X while sharing his video. Madhav along with RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale are on a visit to the United States and attended an event at the Hudson Institute in Washington.