Amid the raging JNU row, Congress on Monday hoisted the tricolour at the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh office in Indore even as it accused the organisation of merely doing a "lip service" to the cause of patriotism.
Though police beefed up security anticipating trouble, the RSS workers present in their office welcomed the Congress leaders, saying national flag is more an emotional matter for them than a matter of doing politics.
Congress has often taunted the RSS for not hoisting the tricolour on its offices against the backdrop of the JNU controversy which has polarised the political discourse in the country over nationalism. Earlier in day, around 800 Congress workers under party's state unit president Arun Yadav gathered in Rajbada area and marched towards the RSS office.
Police, already having barricaded the road leading to the RSS office, prevented Congress workers from moving ahead. Later, the administration allowed Yadav and 20 other Congress leaders to visit the RSS office as part of their programme.
Interestingly, RSS men present at the office not only welcomed the Congress leaders but also arranged snacks for them. Later, Yadav hoisted the tricolour adjacent to RSS' saffron flag atop the office.
After coming out of the RSS office, Yadav said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his ministerial colleagues and the BJP leaders are talking big about nationalism and patriotism following the JNU issue, but the RSS has so far merely done a lip service in name of patriotism".
He said RSS should adopt nationalism and patriotism in their true sense. "We have hoisted the national flag at RSS office and hope the tricolour will be hoisted here on a regular basis like the saffron flag," Yadav added.
RSS in-charge of region Dinesh Jain said tricolour is an emotional issue for them. "Across the country, RSS activists take part in national festivals and in flag hoisting functions in their respective colonies, areas and places of work," he said in a statement. Replying to Congress' criticism, he said RSS considers saffron flag as the symbol of indigenous culture and revers it as "guru" (master). "No question of any dispute arises in this matter," he added.
