Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Indian National Congress, said to the Lok Sabha that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is the real enemy of students [1].

This confrontation highlights the deepening ideological rift between the opposition and the governing coalition over the influence of right-wing organizations in India's academic institutions.

Speaking during a debate in the lower house of India’s Parliament, Gandhi shifted the focus away from Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan [1]. He said that the RSS is the real enemy of students, not Pradhan [1].

Gandhi said the resignation of Pradhan was superficial [2]. He argued that such a move is a token gesture that fails to address the core issues affecting the student population [2].

According to Gandhi, the RSS has captured the education system [2]. He said this control has actively harmed students across the country, suggesting that the ideological capture of schools and universities is the primary driver of the current crisis [2].

By targeting the RSS rather than the individual minister, Gandhi sought to frame the struggle as a systemic battle against an organization he believes dictates government policy from behind the scenes [1]. The remarks underscore the Congress party's strategy to link administrative failures directly to the ideological framework of the RSS [2].

“RSS is the real enemy of students, not Pradhan.”

This rhetoric signals a shift in opposition strategy to move beyond criticizing individual ministers and instead target the ideological foundation of the current administration. By identifying the RSS as the primary antagonist in the education sector, the Congress party is attempting to mobilize students and academics around a broader narrative of institutional capture and ideological warfare.