Congress leader Shashi Tharoor expressed shock over Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat's comment on the preparedness of the Indian Army.  

Shashi Tharoor, said, "Quite shocked to hear him (Mohan Bhagwat) comparing Army unfavourably with the RSS. Really unworthy, Let us keep Army beyond politics. Let us not compare a bunch of young people with bamboo sticks and khaki shorts to Army."

Bhagwat was reported to have said that while the Army would take "six months" to raise a force to fight a war, the RSS could do the same in a matter of "three days". Meanwhile, the RSS's clarified following reports of Bhagwat saying the RSS has the ability to prepare an "army" to fight for the country within three days, if such a situation arises. What Bhagwat actually said was that "if a situation so arises, and if the Constitution allows it, the Indian Army would take six months to prepare the general population for war while the Army could prepare [the RSS's] swayamsevaks in three days because the swayamsevaks are highly disciplined," the organisation added.