A letter claiming to show the United Kingdom's Home Office acknowledged that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) did not take part in any "anti-British movement between 1925 and 1947", is fake and riddled with discrepancies.
The Claim: A Letter Issued By British Home Department Confirming RSS Did Not Participate in India's Freedom Struggle
The viral document, signed by Lord Mountbatten, was posted on X by Manish Tiwari, the National Co-Coordinator for social media, Indian Youth Congress. The document contains text which claims, “RSS did not participate in any anti-British movement from 1925 to 1947.”
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What We Found:
1) Wrong Department Name: The letter is on the letterhead of the“British Home Department,” but no such department exists. The UK's Home Office was established in 1782.
2) Incorrect Emblem and Motto: The viral document shows the UK Royal Coat of Arms with a lion and horse, instead of the lion and unicorn. The Home Office, however, uses its own distinct insignia. Also, the Royal Coat of Arms features the motto “Dieu et mon droit” (French for “God and my right”). The emblem in the viral letter is wrongly shortened this to “Dieu Droit”.
3) No Record in The National Archives: A search of the UK National Archives, which maintains official government correspondence and records, did not show any such document. Additionally, we did not find any credible reporting of such a communication by the UK Home Office on the RSS in 1978, as the viral image claims. The National Archives Press Office did not answer our specific query about the authenticity of the letter and directed us to do an online search within the archives, instead.
4) Similar 1978 Mountbatten Letter: We found a typed letter dated November 1, 1978, signed by Lord Mountbatten, relating to a military base visit. The viral document appears to copy this template, as it oddly includes a faint outline of “Romsey Telephone” and the year "1978', which matches the original letter we found. (Click here to view)
5) Incorrect Signature: The document carries the signature of Lord Louis Mountbatten. However, Mountbatten was not part of the UK Home Office. He served in the military and as the last Viceroy of India. His name appearing on a Home Office communication is historically inaccurate.