Lobbying Games: RSS Connections in US

As Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has completed 100 years of its existence, one new, not widely known fact has come to surface. Many YouTube and online news channels have been discussing RSS hiring a lobbying firm in the US. Interestingly, the firm hired for its lobbying happens to be the same one which is lobbying for Pakistan.

One recalls that when Narendra Modi became the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he had hired a firm for hyping his image “… Washington-based firm, APCO Worldwide, was hired by Modi sometime in August 2007, in the run-up to an important Assembly election, to improve his image before the world.” Incidentally, APCO, the subsidiary of a US law firm, also did image-building for many dictators, and even canvassing for wars where the states hiring them needed it.

It seems lobbying is an important part of image-building, which constructs ‘social common sense’ and helps in ‘manufacturing consent’. The latter phrase was devised by renowned human rights proponent Noam Chomsky. 

Read Also: RSS @100: ‘Static Content, Changing Language’

 The Print news portal and many other sources report, “According to an investigation by news outlet Prism, the law firm received $330,000 to lobby officials in the US Senate and House of Representatives on behalf of RSS. Lobbying reports accessed by the American news outlet indicated that the significant sum was paid out during the first three quarters of 2025. Public documents accessed by The Print add that the firm was hired on behalf of the RSS on 3 March …” 

What is the source of this funding?

RSS is a non-registered body and claims that “guru dakshina” (disciples’ gift to teacher) is the sole source of its funding! These are complex issues.

Non-registered bodies are spending large sums of money in the US! Sunil Ambekar of the RSS denies this but this is very much available on reliable web sites of companies and also of the US Senate. It is mandatory in the US to declare such funding from abroad.

Earlier, this non registered body was investigated for income tax purposes. The tribunal examining its case said, “The tribunals, appreciating the true spirit of gratitude that underlies the idea of a Guru Dakshina, granted tax exemption to funds so collected by RSS. However, the very character of such funds undergoes a paradigm change when the “Guru” diverts a portion of those funds to pay a foreign firm for lobbying with a foreign government… if one can take the liberty of interpreting “lobbying” as “educating” the foreign public functionaries.” 

Anyway, why does this divisive organisation, which till yesteryear believed in working in silent mode, need to hire this lobbying agency and pay it through via media for image creation for American policy-makers and people at large?

As a matter of fact, RSS-BJS-BJP’s (Bhartiya Jan Sangh, Bharatiya Janata Party) policies have been very aligned with US policies overall, more particularly in the 1950s and 1960s. They were the ones to support US invasion of Vietnam, its aggression in different parts of the world and put pressure on Indian government to be pro-US when India was non-aligned and was benefiting in setting up modern institutions with the help of different countries, including the then USSR (Russia), which was regarded as a stark enemy by the Western world.

Many Indians, posing to be patriotic but lured by dollars, settled in the US and a large number of them were supporters of this Right-wing organisation to preserve sanskar (values) in the country of their origin and to inculcate these sanskar in the new generation. Many of them rose to high political positions in the US and were pro-RSS-BJP.

So, where is the need for this type of lobbying? There is a rise of some new factors that are RSS to do this. One; that they want to present themselves as pro-US, as India sometimes is not toeing the US line in its foreign policy.

More than this, many US organisations, working independently of State control or with the goal of monitoring human rights status worldwide, have been coming out with human rights violations in other countries, and pointing out the anti-equality stance of RSS whose branch is HSS (Hindu Swayam Sevak Sangh) in US. One such organisation working meticulously is that of Hindus of Indian origin, which stands for liberal values -- ‘Hindus for Human Rights’.

There are other US-based organisations that are coming out with comprehensive reports on the acts of the RSS combine. The Indian Religious Freedom Report 2024 shows a decline in religious freedom in India. “In 2023, religious freedom conditions in India continued to deteriorate. The government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), reinforced discriminatory nationalist policies, perpetuated hateful rhetoric, and failed to address communal violence disproportionately affecting Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Jews, and Adivasis (indigenous peoples). Continued enforcement of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and anti-conversion and cow slaughter laws resulted in the arbitrary detention, monitoring, and targeting of religious minorities and those advocating on their behalf.”(Report of The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

The reputed Rutgers Center for Security of Race and Rights, in collaboration with Denver and Columbia University scholars, has come out with a detailed report about RSS combine’s role in promoting hate, sectarian nationalism and violence. This centre, since the September 11th (2001) attacks, is monitoring the attacks on Muslim, Arab, and South Asian communities who have faced increased discrimination and prejudice.

A lack of knowledge about these diverse communities facilitates false stereotypes associating them and Islam with terrorism. The Center for Security, Race and Rights works across racial and religious lines to address the underlying structural and systemic causes of Islamophobia and xenophobia against people of Arab, African, and South Asian descent. 

This report points out the role of Hindutva in America, particularly their activities posing ethno-nationalist threat to equality and pluralism. It gives the outline of demonisation of Muslims and Arabs and gives the outline of hate speeches.

Hindutva in America is also a matter of concern for them and the report deals with the activities related to their agenda. The report outlines the role of Hindu nationalist groups in the US in promoting a narrow, politicised version of Hinduism tied to the Hindutva ideology. Also, they emphasise upper-caste dominance, martial pride, religious intolerance, and ethno nationalism.

It is a significant report and outlines the roles of organisations like HSS and VHPA who use youth programmes and summer camps (e.g., Bal Vihar, Balagokulam) to instil Hindutva values in children—teaching prejudice toward non-Hindus and reinforcing caste hierarchies.

With such reports and oppositions floating in the US, no wonder that RSS has hired a lobbying agency to promote its image.

The writer is a human rights defender and a former professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. The views are personal.