A controversy has erupted in Madhya Pradesh following a remark made by Congress MLA Sahab Singh Gurjar against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) during a protest. The BJP is demanding an apology, and the remark has drawn sharp condemnation from civil society.

While addressing a "Nyaya Satyagraha" organized by the Congress party in Ashoknagar district to protest the registration of a criminal case against state party president Jitu Patwari, Gurjar stated, "Those who were men went to the battlefield, those who were eunuchs joined the Sangh". He added, "You understood it, just a hint is enough". The statement, which alluded to members of the RSS as ‘hijre’ (eunuchs), was captured on video and quickly circulated, sparking outrage.

The BJP swiftly retaliated to Gurjar's statement on social media, stating, "Those who were nationalists joined the RSS, while the hypocrites joined the Congress". The BJP further added, "The RSS united the nation, while the Congress divided the country for power. One chose service, while the other tried to sell the nation for power. Congress's opposition to the RSS isn't new, it's a symbol of its political frustration".

Madhya Pradesh Minister Vishwas Sarang criticized Gurjar's language as unconstitutional and insulting to Congress leaders and women. Sarang questioned whether Gurjar was calling Congress leaders who did not participate in the protest, such as Kamal Nath and Ajay Singh, eunuchs. He further stated that the statement was an insult to the third gender.

The Congress party organized the "Nyaya Satyagraha" to protest an FIR filed against Jitu Patwari. The case against Patwari stems from a complaint by Gajraj Lodhi, who alleged he was coerced into making false accusations about being force-fed human excreta. Lodhi later submitted an affidavit stating that no such incident occurred and that he made the false allegations at the behest of Patwari, who allegedly promised him a motorcycle in return. An FIR was subsequently registered against Patwari at Ashok Nagar district's Mungaoli police station on June 27.

Senior Congress leaders, including Digvijaya Singh, Umang Singhar, and Jitu Patwari, were present at the protest. The Congress party had set July 7 as the deadline for withdrawing the case against Patwari and announced the Nyaya Satyagraha when the deadline was not met.

This is not the first time that a political figure has used the term "eunuch" in a derogatory manner, resulting in controversy. In 2020, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor apologized for calling Arvind Kejriwal a "eunuch" in response to Kejriwal's actions regarding protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Similarly, in 2018, Shabnam Mausi, India's first eunuch MLA, cursed the Congress party, claiming they had humiliated her in the past and prevented her from joining the party. She alleged that a Congress leader had told her the party had no need for eunuchs.