‘Full Kasab Energy’?: NSUI workers seen wearing Bhagwa scarves, carrying saffron flags during protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Full Kasab Energy?: NSUI workers seen wearing Bhagwa scarves, carrying saffron flags during protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar
NSUI workers carrying saffron flags alongside their organisation’s flags (Images via X)

Social media platforms have been flooded with videos showing National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) workers, the student wing of the Congress, wearing saffron scarves and carrying saffron flags alongside official NSUI symbols during the ongoing protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral revision.

In the footage widely shared, NSUI goons are seen marching violently through protest sites while visibly switching between flags and displaying traditional religious attire, triggering massive political outrage and debate regarding the true motives behind the demonstration to create ruckus and potentially shift blame for violence onto Hindus, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP.

Calculated strategy to cause havoc and shift blame

Dressing in bhagwa attire is part of a calculated deceptive strategy to incite unrest, attack fellow protesters and journalists, and deliberately create widespread public havoc. By donning saffron scarves and carrying sacred flags while engaging in aggressive behaviour, the infiltrators aimed to execute violence on the ground and subsequently shift the blame onto the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Internal chats point to “Full Kasab energy” instructions

This development follows the recent circulation of alleged internal chat leaks from protest coordination groups, where members were reportedly directed to adopt what was termed “full Kasab energy” ahead of planned demonstrations. According to screenshots circulating widely across social platforms, participants were allegedly instructed to apply tilak, wear sacred kalawa threads, and drape saffron shawls while confronting law enforcement, a calculated move that mimics the notorious 26/11 playbook of Pakistani Islamic terrorist Ajmal Kasab to orchestrate violence while deceptively shifting blame onto Hindu groups.

Image via X

The controversy centres on screenshots purportedly showing exchanges among members of protest coordination groups, with messages discussing the use of Hindu religious symbols ahead of planned demonstrations. The alleged conversation includes the question, “Should we dress like them?”, followed by an affirmative response: “Yesss.”

The messages then reportedly outline specific instructions, including applying a red tilak to the forehead and wearing a sacred red thread (Kalava) associated with Hindu religious rituals. Participants allegedly discuss using red and orange paint if traditional religious materials are unavailable. One message reportedly reads, “Laal teeka on your forehead,” while another states, “And hath me red thread pooja wala.” 

A subsequent message allegedly urges participants to bring red and orange paint for others as well. The phrase “Full Kasab Energy” has become the most controversial element of the purported exchange, prompting serious questions about the nature of the planned activities. 

BJP leaders condemn Opposition’s actions

Senior BJP leaders strongly condemned the incident, describing the NSUI’s actions as a dangerous attempt to defame Hindu symbols, BJP, and the RSS.

Highlighting the political motive behind the act, the BJP National Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari, on 11th October, shared the viral video footage on X and pointed out Congress’s anti-Hindu characteristics. Bhandari wrote, “Big Conspiracy by Congress! Congress workers in order to defame Bhagwa were seen carrying Saffron flags! In the camera they can be seen changing flags. Congress had infiltrated protest yesterday in an attempt to cause violence and arson and blame it on ‘Hindu forces’. Congress did not leave its anti-Hindu characteristics even while executing the Anarchy & Riot toolkit!”

Furthering the condemnation, BJP MP Pradeep Khandelwal directly compared the tactic to past political narratives surrounding terrorism, pointing to a historical pattern of defamation.

Sharing the video on his X account, he wrote, “The Congress party, which coined terms like ‘Saffron Terror’ after 26/11, is now conspiring to defame Hindus under the guise of protests by wearing saffron scarves. It is well known that NSUI is purely the student wing of Congress. In politics, Congress is setting new records of dropping low every day.”

Written by OpIndia Staff
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