The death of Kerala software engineer Ananthu Aji has sparked scrutiny of alleged sexual abuse within the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) after a scheduled Instagram post from his account accused an RSS member of years of abuse.
Aji, 27, was found dead in a Thiruvananthapuram lodge on Oct. 9. In his post, he said the trauma from “repeated sexual and physical abuse” by an RSS member caused his depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. He named the alleged abuser as Nidheesh Murali, a former neighbor, and claimed others were also abused in “the RSS camp.”
Aji’s family, associated with the RSS for four generations, urged punishment for the culprit but asked that the entire organization not be blamed. The RSS dismissed the allegations as a “conspiracy to tarnish” its image.
The case has divided the village in Kottayam district, where Aji’s father had been an RSS leader. Local political leaders have called for a full investigation, as critics say the Sangh’s denial reflects a deeper culture of silence and impunity surrounding abuse within its ranks.
The RSS, a right-wing Hindu nationalist organization, is the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India’s ruling party, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a lifelong RSS member, rose through its ranks, making the BJP the political expression of the RSS vision.