Trust this one. RSS's Organizer criticized the tricolour in 1947, Golwalkar rejected the flag, and its headquarters hoisted it only after 52 years in 2002.
Why we say that›
RSS criticized the tricolour in 1947 and hoisted it at HQ only after 52 years.
All four claims are backed by direct quotes and reports. The on-screen text matches the historical record exactly. The negative tone is clear but the facts hold.
The reel does not mention that the RSS was banned after Gandhi's assassination in 1948 or that permission to hoist the flag on three national days was formally granted only in 2002.
Reported 6 Aug 2026
Claims
3 true · 1 unchecked
- True
On August 14, 1947, just before India's independence, the RSS publication Organizer criticized the tricolour.
What's actually true
The Organizer editorial called the tricolour something Hindus would never respect and said three colours would harm the country.
- True
M.S. Golwalkar rejected both the national flag and the national anthem.
What's actually true
In Bunch of Thoughts, Golwalkar called adopting the tricolour 'drifting and imitating' and questioned why India had no flag of its own.
- Couldn't check
RSS headquarters did not hoist the Indian national flag for about 52 years.
What's actually true
RSS HQ last hoisted it in 1950 and resumed only in January 2002, a gap of 52 years.
- True
Since 2002, RSS has officially hoisted the Tricolour on national occasions.
What's actually true
RSS first hoisted the flag at HQ on 26 January 2002 and has continued the practice since.
The full story, from the sources›
For the first time after nearly 52 years, the Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) hoisted the national tri-colour at their headquarters at Mahal on Saturday. … The national flag was hoisted on previous occasions on august 15, 1947 and on january 26, 1950 and stopped since then, rss sources said. - The Times of India (2002-01-26) Despite being permitted to hoist the national flag on January 26th, August 15th and October 2nd , RSS chose not to do so for 52 years. … On January 26th, 2002, RSS hoisted the national flag at its headquarters in Nagpur voluntarily for the first time after Indias first Republic day. - Alt News (2017-03-17) On the eve of independence the RSS mouth-piece, Organizer, in its issue dated August 14, 1947, rejected this choice in the following harsh words: The people who have come to power by the kick of fate may give may give in our hands the tricolor but it will never be respected and owned by Hindus. The word three is in itself an evil, and a flag having three colours will certainly produce a very bad psychological effect and is injurious to a country. - SabrangIndia (2018-08-16) An editorial published in the 14 August 1947 edition of the RSS mouthpiece Organiser said: The people who have come to power by the kick of fate may give in our hands the Tricolour but it [shall] never be respected and owned by Hindus. The word three is in itself an evil, and a flag having three colours will certainly produce a very bad psychological effect and is injurious to a country. - caravanmagazine.in (2018-09-18) Golwalkar while denouncing the choice of Tricolour as National Flag in an essay entitled ‘Drifting and Drifting’ in the book “Bunch of Thoughts” wrote: ‘Our leaders have set up a new flag for our country. Why did they do so? It is just a case of drifting and imitating… Ours is an ancient and great nation with a glorious past. Then, had we no flag of our own? Had we no national emblem at all these thousands of years? Undoubtedly we had. Then why this utter void, this utter vacuum in our minds?’ (Golwalkar, “M.S., Bunch of Thoughts, Sahitya Sindhu, Bangalore, 1996, pp. 237-238.). - counterview.net (2021-02-22)
From primary sources · fact-checks · reporting
How it's framed (3)›
Sources (5)›
An editorial published in the 14 August 1947 edition of the RSS mouthpiece Organiser said: The people who have come to power by the kick of fate may give in our hands the Tricolour but it [shall] never be respected and owned by Hindus. The word three is in itself an evil, and a flag having three colours will certainly produce a very bad psychological effect and is injurious to a country.
On the eve of independence the RSS mouth-piece, Organizer, in its issue dated August 14, 1947, rejected this choice in the following harsh words: The people who have come to power by the kick of fate may give may give in our hands the tricolor but it will never be respected and owned by Hindus. The word three is in itself an evil, and a flag having three colours will certainly produce a very bad psychological effect and is injurious to a country.
Golwalkar while denouncing the choice of Tricolour as National Flag in an essay entitled ‘Drifting and Drifting’ in the book “Bunch of Thoughts” wrote: ‘Our leaders have set up a new flag for our country. Why did they do so? It is just a case of drifting and imitating… Ours is an ancient and great nation with a glorious past. Then, had we no flag of our own? Had we no national emblem at all these thousands of years? Undoubtedly we had. Then why this utter void, this utter vacuum in our minds?’ (Golwalkar, “M.S., Bunch of Thoughts, Sahitya Sindhu, Bangalore, 1996, pp. 237-238.)
Despite being permitted to hoist the national flag on January 26th, August 15th and October 2nd , RSS chose not to do so for 52 years. … On January 26th, 2002, RSS hoisted the national flag at its headquarters in Nagpur voluntarily for the first time after Indias first Republic day.
For the first time after nearly 52 years, the Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) hoisted the national tri-colour at their headquarters at Mahal on Saturday. … The national flag was hoisted on previous occasions on august 15, 1947 and on january 26, 1950 and stopped since then, rss sources said.
Notes on this check (4)›
- Unavailable: audio track (photo/carousel)
- No speech transcript - analysis rests on caption, on-screen text, and frames.
- Dropped 2 support citation(s) for "RSS headquarters did not hoist the Indian national flag f…" because the cited passages do not address the claim directly.
- Dropped 1 support citation(s) for "Since 2002, RSS has officially hoisted the Tricolour on n…" because the cited passages do not address the claim directly.
Checked against 4 sources · 6 Aug 2026
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