Senior Indian National Congress leader Sam Pitroda has endorsed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's criticism of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), stating that Mamdani's remarks carry 'some truth' and mirror widespread concerns about the treatment of religious minorities in India. Pitroda made the remarks in an interview in New York on 28 August.

Pitroda's Position on the RSS

While acknowledging that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's gathering in New York was a private event — and that every organisation has the right to hold one — Pitroda drew a clear distinction between the RSS's stated positions and what he described as its conduct. 'Their words mean one thing and their actions mean something else,' he alleged. 'I won't pay too much attention to their words. I'll pay more attention to their actions. To me, actions speak louder.'

Pitroda clarified that he had never personally met Bhagwat, though he said he knows some RSS members and maintains friendships across ideological lines. 'I respect them. I respect diversity. But when it becomes violent, I have a problem. When it becomes hateful, I have a problem,' he said.

Mamdani's Remarks and the Congress Response

Mayor Mamdani had previously voiced criticism of the RSS, a position that drew attention given his role as an elected official in the United States. Pitroda characterised Mamdani's remarks as personal views while broadly agreeing with their thrust. 'I think these are his personal views. I do agree with the fact that I believe in secular India. I believe in India where there is no difference in religion, caste, language, state,' Pitroda said.

He invoked India's constitutional foundations and the vision of its founding leaders, saying any organisation — 'RSS, non-RSS' — should return to 'the core idea of India that our founding fathers had,' which he defined as a country belonging equally to Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jews, and Dalits.

Personal Memories Versus Present Realities

Pitroda, born in 1942 during British rule, recalled growing up in a small tribal village where a Muslim household stood in front of his home, a Jain family to the left, a Sikh family to the right, and a tribal Oria family behind — all coexisting without conflict. He contrasted that memory with his assessment of present-day India.

'Today, conflict has increased substantially. Hate has increased, fear has increased,' he said. 'So I think what Mamdani said has some truth in it — that the India we grew up with was the India for everybody.'

Concerns Over Minorities and Institutional Influence

Pitroda alleged that Muslims and Christians have experienced growing anxiety over the past decade and a half, and questioned the RSS's influence on educational and other public institutions. 'You ask average Muslim or Christian how they feel in the last 15 years, what has happened to their churches, their communities, and they will tell you,' he said.

The RSS, founded in Nagpur in 1925 and marking its centenary in 2025, describes itself as a cultural and social organisation committed to national service and character-building. The organisation has not yet publicly responded to Pitroda's remarks. The Congress leader's comments are likely to intensify the political debate around the RSS's international profile and its relationship with India's minority communities.