The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) recently invited Kamaltai Gavai, the mother of Chief Justice of India (CJI) B. R. Gavai, to a function in Amravati, Maharashtra, marking both Vijayadashmi and the centenary of the RSS.

The event is slated for 5 October 2025. Kamaltai, however, has not only declined the invitation but voiced strong criticism of the festival itself, framing her objection in ideological terms by asserting that she is an “Ambedkarite.”

Dismissing media reports that she would attend, Kamaltai Gavai, in a Marathi letter, reaffirmed her commitment to Ambedkarite ideals and to the Indian Constitution. She declared that under “any circumstances” she would not support or participate in an RSS-organized event. She further argued that celebrating a Hindu festival could “harm social consciousness.”

“The news recently published about the RSS Vijayadashami program scheduled for October 5 at 6:30 PM at the Shrimati Narsamma Mahavidyalaya Ground in Amravati, Maharashtra, is utterly false. As the founding president of the Dada Saheb Gavai Charitable Trust, deeply rooted in Ambedkarite ideology, and with my family’s unwavering commitment to the Constitution of India, I will never attend or support the upcoming RSS program in Amravati under any circumstances. I assure you that I will not cause any harm to social consciousness in any way,”
the letter states.

Kamaltai Gavai went on to emphasize that, while Vijayadashami is important in Hindu tradition, for those like her who follow Buddhism, the day has a different meaning. She invoked “Ashok Vijayadashami”, referring to the Mauryan emperor Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism and renunciation of violence after the Kalinga War. She acknowledged that some historians and archaeological evidence suggest Ashoka may have embraced Buddhism before the Kalinga War, but she used the symbol of Ashok Vijayadashami to draw contrast with the popular Hindu festival.

Criticizing media coverage, she condemned reports she believed to be propagandistic, noting many simply focused on the RSS invitation rather than on her position. She said:

“I urge the people of Maharashtra and all of India to take note of this. While Vijayadashami holds significance in Hindu culture, for us, Dhammachakra Pravartan Din, also known as Ashok Vijayadashami, is of utmost importance. I strongly condemn the recently published news as misinformation and urge the public not to fall prey to such propaganda from a social perspective. I call upon my fellow Ambedkarites to take note of this and place their trust in me. Spreading this news without my consent or written approval is a conspiracy by the RSS. I do not accept this invitation.”

मा. कमलताई गवई यांचे हे हस्तलिखित निवेदन सोशल मीडियावर व्हायरल होत आहे. आंबेडकरी चळवळीच्या रोषाची दखल घेत त्यांनी RSS च्या कार्यक्रमाला न जाण्याचा निर्णय घेतला , हे स्वागतार्ह आहे. जय भीम!!!? pic.twitter.com/yt1JkDGP7U — ?Beyond_Horizon (@Beyond_Horizonn) September 28, 2025

Kamaltai’s other son, Rajendra Gavai, claims both he and his mother will attend RSS event

Soon after Kamaltai’s firm reply caused widespread discussion, her other son, Dr. Rajendra Gavai, claimed in a video that both he and his mother would in fact attend the RSS function. Dr. Rajendra, a leader in the Republican Party, said he had accepted the invitation himself and that Kamaltai would too.

His father, the late R. S. Gavai (often spelled “RS Gavai”), had long standing ties with Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s legacy. He had served as President of the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial Committee at Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur and played a significant role in its development. Dr. Rajendra is actively involved with that committee today.

It is notable that Kamaltai’s earlier message firmly stated that she would never attend an RSS event celebrating Vijayadashami, citing her and her family’s allegiance to Ambedkarite ideology and the Constitution. The contrast in her son’s messaging raises questions about internal contradiction: did the family always reject such participation, or is there a shift now?

Historically, the Gavai family has had a more complex relationship with such events. Kamaltai’s late husband Ramkrishna Suryabhan Gavai, also known as Dadasaheb Gavai and a senior Republican Party of India (RPI) leader, had attended the valedictory ceremony of the Sangh Shiksha Varg in Nagpur in 1981 as guest of honour.

R. S. Gavai himself was deeply involved in public life: he served in multiple roles, including close association with Babasaheb Ambedkar, membership in Parliament (Lok Sabha) from the Amravati constituency (1998), and governorships of Bihar, Sikkim, and Kerala between 2006 and 2011. During his tenure as the Governor of Kerala in 2009, he controversially overruled recommendations from the state cabinet and permitted the CBI to begin prosecution proceedings in the SNC-Lavalin corruption case, a decision the Congress-led UPA central government welcomed.

In his own words, CJI Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai noted that his father, Dadasaheb, had ties to the Congress party for over four decades—serving as Member of Parliament, Member of Legislature, with crucial support from Congress. His brother, Rajendra Gavai, though an RPI leader, also has political associations with Congress.

The matter becomes more volatile when put in context with another recent controversy: CJI B. R. Gavai himself sparked national criticism after comments he made while dismissing a petition involving a Hindu deity. On 16 September 2025, a Supreme Court bench led by him and Justice Augustine George Masih heard a case brought by a petitioner named Rakesh Dalal, who sought restoration of a damaged Vishnu idol. While rejecting the petition, the CJI reportedly remarked:

“This is purely publicity interest litigation. Go and ask the deity itself to do something now. You say you are a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu. So go and pray now.”

These remarks drew sharp backlash from various quarters, who saw them as mocking a religious belief and disrespecting the Hindu faith.