Historian Irfan Habib Compares RSS to IS, Faces Criticism

Historian Irfan Habib’s remark comparing RSS with Islamic State hogs all attention and flak online.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) volunteers during foundation day celebrations and Dussehra festival in Bhopal. (Photo: PTI)

Agitating writers and historians in a meeting on Sunday sought to reject the charge that the Congress and Leftists were behind their protest against “growing intolerance” in the country. They alleged that the ruling BJP was unable to “control its mobs”.

Historian Irfan Habib, sparked off a controversy when he compared the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to the international terror group, Islamic State.

<p>There is not much difference between Islamic State and the RSS as far as intellect goes.</p>

<p><b>Irfan Habib, Historian</b></p>

The writers, artistes, thinkers, historians and academics had gathered for a “resistance” meet (Prat-irodh) against what they described as an “attack on reason, democracy and composite culture”.

However, it was Habib’s remark that got all the attention, and subsequently a lot of flak as well.

Veteran journalists Shekhar Gupta and Tavleen Singh tweeted,

Here are some other reactions,

At the meeting, Habib also made the following remarks,

• Though previous NDA regime (under Vajpayee) did engage in divisive politics, they didn’t go as far as the Modi government has gone.
  
• They have appointed political people from the Sangh in all institutions without the required qualifications.
  
• People are concerned about the way they’ve tried to give a particular colour to all cultural and educational institutions.