Kailash Vijayvargiya: RSS has 'shortage of good people', quality declining as numbers swell

Madhya Pradesh minister and senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya has drawn attention for his comments on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), stating that while the organisation has expanded, the quality of its members has declined and there is a shortage of “good people”.

Speaking at a memorial event for Shaligram Tomar in Bhopal, Vijayvargiya said the RSS had become “overcrowded” and that opportunistic claims of association had increased, especially after the BJP came to power. He noted that many government officials now claim past or family links with the Sangh, often for perceived benefit.

“The Sangh has become crowded now. Our numbers have grown, and we have become a very large organisation,” Vijayvargiya said. “Any official who joins the government now says, ‘I too have worn the patti and the RSS chaddi (half pant).’ One official told me, ‘My father used to attend Sangh gatherings.’ Another said, ‘My father was a Sangh president.’ Since the BJP government was formed, all officials have become Sangh supporters.”

Vijayvargiya emphasised that while the organisation is expanding and its ideology spreading, the quality of individuals within it has deteriorated. “There is a shortage of good people in the Sangh. The Sangh is full of people, but good human beings are becoming fewer. Earlier, there were truly good people. The organisation is expanding, the ideology is spreading, but what is the value of an ideology if there are no good people? We need to reflect on this seriously,” he said.

The Congress party responded to the remarks. Congress leader K.K. Mishra said the comments appeared to carry “some truth” in the current political climate, adding that officials often change their stance with those in power. “Looking at the times, it seems officials may soon formally join the RSS. They have mastered the art of changing their mindset according to the government,” Mishra said.

This is not the first time Vijayvargiya has sparked controversy with his public statements. Recently, in Indore, he used the word “Kafir” while addressing a gathering, saying that if some Muslim brothers call Hindus “Kafirs”, they should not use roads built by the government or accept benefits from welfare schemes. In 2023, he faced criticism for likening certain women’s attire to the character Surpanakha from the Ramayana. In June 2025, he caused outrage by saying he did not like women wearing revealing clothes and refused to be photographed with them. In 2025, he also made comments about “Love Jihad”, calling it a conspiracy targeting Hindu girls, and has spoken controversially about the Taj Mahal.

Vijayvargiya’s latest remarks have added to a pattern of statements that critics describe as provocative. The original event organiser, Shaligram Tomar, was a former RSS member associated with the party’s founding ideals. Vijayvargiya’s critique from within the party’s ideological parent organisation has drawn particular attention.