The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Friday hit out at writers, scientists, filmmakers and other intellectuals protesting against the growing intolerance in the country, and said they were “desperate and frustrated”. The Sangh questioned why they had not spoken up during similar incidents in the past, and said, “The RSS is not a punching bag for the so-called pseudo secular intolerant people”. The statement was made by RSS joint secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on the sidelines of the outfit's executive meeting.

A large number of writers and intellectuals have blamed the Centre for incidents that demonstrate the violent tension and the curbing of dissent in the country, and have returned awards and resigned from their posts in the past few weeks.