On Saturday 9th July 2022, The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, raised an issue around a documentary film poster that features Goddess Kali smoking a cigarette. It was addressed by Speaking to the media at the three-day Akhil Bharatiya Prant Pracharaks meet in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan. They emphasized that no one should offend any religious sensibilities.
Akhil Bhartiya Prachar Pramukh of RSS,Sunil Ambekar said, “Creative freedom has been a tradition in India. But no one should hurt anyone’s religious sentiments. Everyone should be careful about that.”
RSS had made remarks on the prevailing situation of the murder of Kanhaiya Lal and the Islamist controversy of Nupur Sharma and these come in the wake of the controversy that break out due to the poster of a documentary film Kali directed by Leena Manimekalai. The poster of the documentary depicts Hindu Goddess Kali smoking a cigarette and holding the LGBTQ+ community’s pride flag in hand.
Several cases were registered against the director Leena Manimekalai for hurting religious sentiments. The matter went even bigger when the Trinamool Congress Party’s MP Mahua Moitra made insulting remarks about the Goddess Kali while answering a question about the controversy around the poster.
So in the year 2025, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh will mark its hundredth year. The RSS had discussed its strategies for growth in the years leading up to its hundredth in 2025, in the annual Prant Pracharak meeting. In the meeting, Sunil Ambekar said, “RSS will be completing its 100 years. Its centenary year will be celebrated in 2025. We have set targets for expansion of RSS in the run-up to the Shatabdi Varsh.”
Top figures like,Chief Mohan Bhagwat, Manmohan Vaidya, Arun Kumar, Dr. Krishan Gopal, and CR Mukund had attended the three-day gathering.
