Truth can hurt. It can hurt even more when it comes from quarters least expected. Dattatreya Hosabale, the general-secretary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, recently painted a grim picture of the nation’s economy, highlighting worrying levels of poverty and unemployment. The comments serve as an uncomfortable reality check for the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose Bharatiya Janata Party is part of the umbrella of organisations that draw their ideological fuel and legitimacy from the RSS. Mr Modi and his government have repeatedly claimed that their policies have turned India into a rare economic success story at a time when much of the world is battling slowdowns or recessions. They have stated that international organisations have also lauded their work. Ironically, Mr Hosabale pointed to data from global agencies to insist that India faces serious challenges. He is right. Inflation remains brutally high, as does unemployment. Micro, small and medium enterprises, which employ one of the largest chunks of Indian workers, are still recovering from the devastation of Covid-19. Demand is low, suggesting that purchasing power remains constrained.

Against this backdrop, many have interpreted Mr Hosabale’s comments as a criticism of Mr Modi’s government. Yet just days after he spoke, the RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat, praised the ruling dispensation and its handling of the economy. In truth, the seemingly contradictory statements reflect an age-old political tactic that seeks to claim both positions in a debate to keep the lid on any outpouring of public dissent. RSS platforms like the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, where Mr Hosabale spoke, often take positions that appear to be at odds with their own government. This allows the RSS to play both good cop and bad cop. Mr Bhagwat’s statement makes it clear that at the top, the RSS remains firmly behind Mr Modi. Still, Mr Hosabale’s comments reflect a growing unease within the mothership of India’s Hindutva movement over public anger related to the state of the economy as well as a desire to appear sensitive to those concerns. The RSS has, in the past, acted as a weathervane for BJP governments. That these statements have come at a time when the Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, is in the midst of his Bharat Jodo Yatra is no coincidence. The idea is clear: to ensure that in an era of inflation, the RSS and the BJP don’t pay too high a price.