In a recent Independence Day celebration at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Mumbai, the guest speaker, Girish Y. Prabhune, has come under fire for allegedly promoting Hindutva ideologies and making disparaging remarks about minorities.
Prabhune, a Padma Shri awardee and known pro-Hindutva activist, drew criticism for his speech, during which he made several controversial statements about Islam and minority communities. He remarked, “Bharat was under the turmoil of Islam and British rule for centuries, and now we are free,” which many found inflammatory.
The speech also included comments on student-led movements, drawing parallels between dissent in India and political unrest in Bangladesh. Prabhune suggested that Indian student movements opposing the government were aligned with anti-national elements, hinting at a broader threat posed by dissenting voices.
Additionally, Prabhune emphasized the importance of the Hindi language while disparaging other vernacular languages and advocating for a return to traditional Sanskriti. He criticized the modern education system and pushed for a revival of the Gurukulam model, urging students to adopt the Hindu calendar and eschew the English calendar and language.
Students and activists present at the event reported that Prabhune’s speech was heavily laced with RSS ideology and focused on promoting Hindu culture and festivals.
Prabhune, who was honored with the Padma Shri in 2021 by Modi government for his contributions to social work, has been a long-time RSS volunteer. He has faced accusations from various tribal and Dalit activists for advancing Hindutva agendas within tribal communities.
