Nagpur: A joint march on Monday by Congress and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) intensified political pressure on the ruling establishment with leaders demanding that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) seek Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resignation over alleged indirect references in the ‘Epstein Files’.Led by state Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal and VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar, the march began at Samvidhan Square and moved towards the RSS headquarters in Mahal before being stopped by police at Morris College. Despite restrictions, thousands of party workers gathered near the site and raised slogans against the PM and petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri.Congress has claimed that an indirect reference to Modi appeared in Epstein Files documents released by the United States Department of Justice in January. The govt has rejected the charge as baseless.Addressing the gathering, Sapkal described the alleged mention of the PM as “extremely serious” and said, “Across the world, individuals whose names have surfaced in the Epstein files have resigned, and some have even been arrested.” He added that since Modi had acknowledged the role of RSS in his political journey, “the Sangh, which speaks about culture and morality, should demand his resignation.”Sapkal further alleged that the PM had “bowed before the United States” following the controversy, linking it to trade decisions. He also criticised the denial of permission for the march, calling it an attempt to suppress dissent. “Taking out a march is a constitutional right,” he said, accusing the state leadership of using the police to block the protest.Sapkal further criticised the absence of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who was reportedly in Delhi, asking, “When our delegation came for dialogue, why was the meeting avoided? The PM’s silence on the issue and broader international matters raised concerns about transparency and accountability,” he said.The Congress leader also raised questions about the handling of the controversial godman Ashok Kharat’s case by the BJP-led Mahayuti govt, asking how the alleged activities continued for several years when chief minister Devendra Fadnavis held the home portfolio. He termed the resignation of women’s commission chairperson Rupali Chakankar as lacking “genuine moral accountability”.Ambedkar echoed the concerns, alleging that the Central govt was functioning under external pressure. “If a country like Canada is not afraid of US threats, why is Modi,” he asked, demanding the RSS chief seek an explanation from the PM within 15 days. He also claimed that recent tariff policies reflected unequal trade terms detrimental to India.Ambedkar said that despite ideological differences, Congress and the VBA had united “to protect the nation, the Constitution, and democracy”, signalling a broader political alignment on the issue.
