Archive · 3 Oct 2026
Organiser Links Protests to Alleged Communist-Islamist Cabal
Organiser is a magazine linked to the RSS.
In an editorial, its editor said several protests in India were connected and described them as part of a “Communist-Islamist cabal.”
The protests involve a student’s death, changes to voter lists and a possible fee on some UPI payments.
The editorial questioned whether the student’s death should be linked to caste discrimination and said mental health should also be considered.
It supported a small fee on some large commercial UPI payments.
Another RSS-affiliated group, the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, disagreed and said the fee could hurt UPI and help foreign card companies.
These are competing claims about protests and payment policy, not conclusions established by the article.
An Organiser editorial connected protests over an IIT Bombay student’s suicide, the Election Commission’s voter-roll revision and a proposed UPI fee to what it called a “Communist-Islamist cabal.”
Editor Prafulla Ketkar alleged that outside forces were encouraging and funding agitations, and accused some Opposition parties of serving short-term political ends.
The editorial questioned attempts to frame the student’s death as caste discrimination, while saying mental health and social pressures also warranted examination.
It defended a proposed MDR of up to 0.4% on commercial UPI transactions above Rs 2,000, saying individual transfers would not be affected and costs would be minimal.
The RSS-affiliated Swadeshi Jagran Manch opposed enabling MDR, warning it could weaken UPI and benefit international card companies.
- Who
- Organiser editor Prafulla Ketkar, the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, and groups involved in the protests discussed in the editorial.
- What
- Organiser alleged that protests on several issues were part of a coordinated campaign and defended a proposed UPI MDR; the Swadeshi Jagran Manch opposed the fee.
- When
- In an editorial dated September 28; the article does not specify the year.
- Where
- India.
- Why
- Ketkar argued that the protests could undermine institutions and national achievements; the Swadeshi Jagran Manch said MDR could weaken UPI and favour international card companies.
Organiser editorial
Swadeshi Jagran Manch
MDR on UPI
Organiser editorial
The editorial defended a proposed MDR of up to 0.4% on commercial transactions above Rs 2,000, saying individual transfers would not be affected and the cost would be minimal.
Swadeshi Jagran Manch
The Swadeshi Jagran Manch urged the government to withhold the move, arguing that MDR could undermine UPI and shift advantage to international card companies such as Visa and Mastercard.
- Publication
- Organiser, an RSS-affiliated magazine
- Editorial author
- Prafulla Ketkar, Organiser editor
- Editorial title
- “Protest Season – IIT Bombay, Election Commission & UPI: Saving Gandhi and Ambedkar from Marx and Mao”
- Editorial date
- September 28; year not specified
- Proposed MDR
- Up to 0.4% on commercial transactions above Rs 2,000, as described in the editorial
- Opposing position
- The Swadeshi Jagran Manch asked the government to withhold the move enabling MDR on UPI transactions.
- Issues discussed
- An IIT Bombay student’s suicide, the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, and proposed MDR on UPI