Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has sparked controversy with his recent remarks comparing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to Zionists in Israel. Addressing a public meeting in Kannur on Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, Vijayan stated, "Zionists in Israel and the RSS in India are twin brothers". His comments coincide with the RSS's centenary celebrations. Founded in 1925, the RSS serves as the ideological wing of the ruling BJP. Vijayan's CPI-M has historically opposed the right-wing RSS, which advocates for a Hindu Rashtra.
Vijayan also criticized the central government's decision to commemorate the RSS centenary with a postage stamp and a 100-rupee coin. He deemed this act "a grave insult to our Constitution". In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Vijayan asserted that the move legitimizes an organization that "abstained from the freedom struggle, promoting a divisive ideology that aligned with the colonial strategy". He further stated that this honor is "a direct assault on the memory of our true freedom fighters and the secular, unified India they envisioned". The postal stamp features RSS swayamsevaks participating in the 1963 Republic Day Parade, which the CPI(M) views as a falsification of history.
Furthermore, Vijayan took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of being subservient to former US President Donald Trump. He criticized Modi's silence regarding Trump's policies, including the H-1B visa fee hikes and the detention of Indian citizens. Vijayan argued that a nation with self-respect would respond vigorously to such actions but lamented the perceived failure of Indian leaders to do so.
The CPI(M) Politburo echoed Vijayan's sentiments, stating that the release of a commemorative coin replicating the 'Bharat Mata' image promoted by the RSS is "highly objectionable". They argued that this image represents a sectarian concept of a Hindutva Rashtra. The Politburo also criticized the postage stamp, viewing it as a falsification of history.
Vijayan's remarks have sparked mixed reactions. They come amid ongoing disagreements between the CPI(M) and the RSS. The RSS is currently celebrating its 100th year. Founded in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the RSS is a volunteer-based organization that aims to foster cultural awareness, discipline, service, and social responsibility.
In a separate context, a former CPI legislator, Rajaji Mathew Thomas, had previously compared Pinarayi Vijayan to Narendra Modi and Donald Trump in 2018, citing similar approaches to the media. Thomas, then the Chief Editor of the CPI party organ, criticized Vijayan for his perceived disdain for the media, stating that he had never heard of a Kerala Chief Minister ordering the media to "get out".
