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HomeDiplomacyOnline petition calls for German envoy’s resignation for visiting RSS headquarters

Online petition calls for German envoy’s resignation for visiting RSS headquarters

German envoy Walter J. Lindner found himself in a Twitter storm after he posted pictures of his meeting with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in Nagpur.

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New Delhi: Two days after German Ambassador to India Walter J. Lindner visited the headquarters of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Nagpur, Maharashtra, and met its chief Mohan Bhagwat, an online petition has been initiated demanding his resignation.

The petition has been started by South Asian Affairs Analyst Pieter Friedrich, who speaks frequently about human rights in India, the spread of nationalism, political ideologies and growing politicisation of religious extremism, among other issues.

At the time of publishing of this report, the petition had clocked up 730 signatures.

Lindner’s visit ‘condones’ RSS ideologies

Though several envoys have visited RSS headquarters in the past, Lindner found himself in a Twitter storm after he posted pictures of his meeting with Bhagwat on 17 July.

“Visit of Headquarters of RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) in Nagpur and long meeting with its Sarsanghchalak (Chief) Dr Mohan Bhagwat. Founded 1925, it is world’s largest voluntary organization – though not uncontroversialy perceived throughout its history…,” Lindner tweeted.

The petition says Lindner’s visit “condones” the ideologies of RSS, which are inspired by fascist movements.

“His visit condones the RSS paramilitary as well as its ideological and institutional inspiration by European fascist movements like those of Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italy,” the petition read.

“Germany must in no way demonstrate any tolerance for fascism, especially for fascist movements like the RSS which have a demonstrated record of admiring and seeking to model themselves after Nazi Germany and other affiliated fascist movements,” it stated.

The petition also sought intervention of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in the matter.

“We, the undersigned, demand that Ambassador Walter Lindner resign or, failing that, be recalled. We demand immediate intervention by Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas to achieve this goal,” it said.

ThePrint contacted the German embassy, but they refused to comment.

With inputs from Nayanima Basu.


Also read: Why Germany is the favourite country for Indian asylum seekers


 

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6 COMMENTS

  1. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has been trying hard to unite Hindus across India, cutting across barriers of caste, colour, creed, region, language, strata and even gender. They have achieved a degree of success in the last 9 decades. In the pre-war era, the Nazis talked of nationalism, class equality and gender justice (though restricted to ethnic Germans who were white Christians). On the face of it, there was nothing objectionable in their ideology, when compared to the environment prevalent in Europe and even the rest of the world at that time. Those days, racism, with emphasis on white race and Christian religion, was the norm and Britishers were one of its greatest practitioners. The British of that period, did not even believe in class equality and hence, for many Indians, Nazis appeared to be more acceptable. As indeed did the Communists. The more horrendous manifestations of Nazism became apparent after the war, just as the atrocities committed by the Communists under Joseph Stalin in erstwhile USSR, came to be known only after his death. Today, the most defining aspect of Nazi Germany is the Holocaust, which targeted mainly Jews, Gypsies and Jehovah Witness (a non mainstream Christian denomination). And the support which Nazis got during their rule in Germany and even after their defeat, came mainly from Vatican and other mainstream Christian churches of that time. The RSS on the other hand, expressed horror over the Holocaust and expressed solidarity with the Jews. The spiritual mastermind of the Holocaust was Pope Pius XII. After his death and after the Second Vatican Council, Roman Catholics and other mainstream Christians tried to live down the infamous Nicene Creed, propagated by Constantine the Great. Further improvement took place after the Cold War. Therefore, uproar over the German Ambassador’s visit to RSS headquarters, is absolutely unacceptable.

  2. Due to constant and relentless misinformation and left wing media bias , today we have some nobody like Pieter D trying to impose his demands on India’s sovereign rights as a nation to deal with other nations.
    This misinformation about the RSS is institutional in the media. The RSS never counters this vile narrative and even when liars and sons of liars like Rahul G are sent to court our banckrupt judiciary knowtows to him and lets him off with a warning.

  3. The petition is misplaced. It is an envoy’s professional duty to engage with all people and institutions of influence and consequence in his host country.

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