Congress, VBA to March to RSS HQ in Nagpur on March 23

Mumbai:The Maharashtra Congress and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) will hold a joint protest march in Nagpur on March 23, targeting the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

The march will be led by state Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal and VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar. The leaders said the protest is aimed at seeking answers from the RSS over why Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues in office amid alleged references to his name in the so-called Epstein files. The parties also plan to raise concerns over India–US trade agreements, which they claim could adversely affect farmers and national interests.

According to the state Congress unit, the march will proceed from Constitution Square in Nagpur to the RSS headquarters, with thousands of workers from both parties expected to participate. Other like-minded groups are also likely to join the protest.

The Congress cited purported information attributed to the US Department of Justice regarding the Epstein files, alleging that Mr. Modi’s name has been mentioned. It also claimed that Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has been referred to multiple times. The party further alleged that a proposed trade agreement with the United States could harm India’s agricultural sector, accusing the Centre of making compromises that undermine national sovereignty.

The Congress also alleged that the Epstein files raise serious questions about the conduct and functioning of Mr. Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

A senior Congress leader said the RSS, as the ideological parent organisation of the BJP and an influential force in public life, should clarify why Mr. Modi continues as Prime Minister amid what he described as “serious allegations” and concerns of global reputational damage.

“The joint march has been organised to seek answers from the RSS on these issues,” the leader said.