A video of a press conference by a group under the banner of "Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh" is being shared on social media with the false claim that the RSS led by Mohan Bhagwat has extended its support to the opposition I.N.D.I.A alliance and the Congress Party against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). BOOM found that the group which shares the same name with Bhagwat's RSS is not affiliated to it.
The Mohan Bhagwat led RSS is the ideological parent of the BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several BJP ministers spent their formative years in the RSS.
In the 2.20 minutes, a man named Janardan Moon, president of the organisation leads the press conference leads the press conference stating that they have decided to support the I.N.D.I.A alliance against the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.
The video was posted on X by the handle Rahul Kajal INC (@RahulKajalRG) with the caption, "Big News.. Please make this viral. RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) supported INDIA alliance across the country, Appealed to Sanghis across the country to vote in favor of INDIA alliance. Sangh shouted, overthrow Modi government."
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The same video was also posted by the X handle of East Bangalore Congress Sevadal (@Sevadaleblr) with the caption when translated reads, "Country and Constitution have to be saved, Modi has to be removed: RSS"
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FACT-CHECK
BOOM found that the group in the viral video holding the press confrence extending support to I.N.D.I.A alliance is not affliated to Mohan Bhagwat led RSS as being claimed in social media posts.
Taking a hint from the viral video, as the president of the the group RSS holding the press conference is named Janardan Moon, we searched with that name and found news reports that Moon runs another organisation by the name of RSS in Nagpur and had tried to register his organisation with that name.
We found a 2019 article in the Times Of India reporting on Bombay High Court rejecting Moon's plea to register his NGO under the name of RSS.
The report further stated that the High Court had noted that there is already a society which exists by the same name, whereas Moon had contented that the RSS was not registered with the charity commissioner and had requested allotment of the name to his society.
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Additionally, we also found the original video uploaded on the YouTube channel - Aawaz India posted on March 24, 2024, with the title: "RSS supports Congress, creates uproar across the country | PC of RSS Chief Janardan Moon, Abdul Pasha"
The caption below that when translated reads, "For those who are wondering how RSS supported the INDIA alliance, let us tell you that there are two RSSs in the country, one is online REGISTERD which has supported Congress, and the other is UNREGISTERD whose Sarsanghchalak is Mohan Bhagwat. Please be careful not to get confused. Nagpur; RSS gave unconditional support to INDIA Alliance"
BOOM reached out to Moon who also dismissed the viral claim confirming that his orgainstaion is not affiliated to Mohan Bhagwat led RSS. "Our organisation is different from the RSS organisation led by Mohan Bhagwat."
Organiser Weekly, which is the official mouthpiece of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh also posted on X on March 26, 2024, calling the Moon's RSS fake
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