Why Nitin Gadkari is facing protests from RSS affiliates on home turf
Hindutva outfits like the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal are all set to step up their protest against Pyare Khan’s appointment as Maharashtra State Minorities Commission chairman.
The outfits have announced a protest outside Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s residence, the Gadkari Wada, in the city’s Mahal area – which also houses the RSS headquarters – on Saturday demanding Khan’s removal, alleging he rose to the position due to political patronage.
Why is VHP opposing Khan?
Khan, a Nagpur-based businessman who owns a transport company, came to prominence during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, when he spent more than Rs 85 lakh to transport over 400 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen to hospitals in and around Nagpur.
He declined an offer from the administration to reimburse the expenses, saying the assistance was his humanitarian duty during Ramzan. Gadkari helped coordinate the logistics, while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also helped arrange tankers. Khan subsequently came to be known as the “Oxygen Man”.
His engagement with political leaders continued after the pandemic. Khan campaigned for Gadkari during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, worked on the development of the Sufi corridor after receiving invitations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and helped clear illegal encroachments in the Tajbagh shrine area.
On July 3, 2024, the Maharashtra government appointed Khan chairman of the Maharashtra State Minorities Commission for a five-year term. The statutory body is tasked with safeguarding the rights and interests of minority communities in the state.
The appointment has since drawn opposition from sections of the Sangh Parivar. VHP leaders, speaking to The Indian Express, have questioned the appointment of a Muslim to the post, arguing that minority commissions in some other states are headed by members of Sikh or Jain communities. They have also objected to what they describe as the political backing that helped Khan secure the position.
What is the Abu Salem controversy?
In September, the VHP, Bajrang Dal and Durga Vahini, the women’s wing of the VHP, held a protest in Nagpur following Khan’s visit to Nashik Central Prison, where gangster Abu Salem is serving a life sentence.
The VHP sought Khan’s removal over allegations that he had met Salem and spoke in favour of his release. Khan denied the allegations, saying he had not spoken in favour of the gangster’s release. He also said he “would resign in 30 seconds” if the authority that appointed him asked him to step down.
The latest protest is directed at Gadkari, with VHP leaders arguing that the Union Minister’s support helped establish Khan’s political standing.
The controversy has also drawn the RSS into the debate. Questions were raised over Khan’s presence at the Sangh’s recent Vijayadashami celebrations held in Nagpur.
A VHP functionary claimed the protest had the backing of senior Sangh members, saying, “We have coordination and guidance from Sangh for the protest.”
The VHP also performed a “purification” of a Garba pandal stage in Nagpur after Khan visited it by sprinkling “gaumutra (cow urine)” and gangajal while chanting the Hanuman Chalisa. They also gifted a Varaha image to the organisers while directing them not to invite non-Muslims to the event.
What is the RSS stand?
The RSS, however, has distanced itself from the VHP’s position. An RSS functionary said the organisation’s Vijayadashami event was open to people of all religions and political affiliations.
“The Sangh is all-inclusive. The public invitation for the Vijayadashami programme is open to all,” the functionary said, adding that the VHP’s opposition to Khan should not be construed as the RSS’s position.
The functionary also pointed out that Gadkari and Fadnavis attended the event as swayamsevaks, and that leaders from the Congress and NCP were also invited.
VHP organisers, meanwhile, maintain that their objection is to what they see as political favouritism, rather than the RSS’s decision to invite Khan to its event.
Where does the BJP stand?
Khan’s office has not publicly responded to the latest protest announcement.
For the BJP leadership, the protest presents a potentially difficult political balancing act. Gadkari’s association with Khan reflects a development-oriented approach that prioritises cooperation across communities, while the VHP’s campaign underscores the ideological concerns of sections of the party’s wider political constituency.
