Rahul equates RSS to SIMI, stokes anger

Rahul equates RSS to SIMI, stokes anger
October 07, 2010 9:01:16 PM

Pioneer News Service | New Delhi/Bhopal

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday triggered a political controversy by equating Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) with banned terrorist outfit Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), a statement which immediately attracted strong criticism from not only the Sangh Parivar but also yoga guru Swami Ramdev.

“I know only that both SIMI and the RSS are fanatical and hold fundamentalist views,” he said at a Press conference in Bhopal. When pointed out that the radical SIMI was a proscribed outfit, which was not the case with RSS, the Nagpur-headquartered right-wing group, Rahul stated that this did not matter much for him.

The RSS and the BJP were quick in denouncing Rahul, saying that “he has lost his mental balance” and “he should brush up his knowledge before making meaningless statements”. BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told reporters, “Only a sick mind can do it (compare RSS to SIMI). He seems to have lost his mental balance.”

Some BJP leaders pointed out that Rahul used the same language on Wednesday as has been used by former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh for several years now. “It was also not a coincidence that Rahul chose to target RSS in Madhya Pradesh, the former CM’s home State,” they said.

BJP’s youth wing chief and Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur pointed out that the Congress Government at the Centre had decided to continue the ban on SIMI. “We appeal to Rahul to stop playing vote bank politics and dedicate himself to nation building, taking lessons from the RSS. We appeal to the BJYM activists to strongly oppose the statement and organise protests everywhere in the country,” Thakur said.

The RSS also hit out at the Congress leader, saying he needed to learn more about the country before making such “meaningless” statements. “He should brush up his knowledge before making meaningless statements. He should know the difference between RSS and banned outfits and know the history of Congress party, which has been accused of fundamentalism in the last six decades,” RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav said. “Rahul has a long way to go in politics, He should have better knowledge of India. He should learn more before making such statements,” he added.

The Parivar also got support from yoga guru Swami Ramdev, who said that such a comparison between the RSS and SIMI was deplorable. “In all these year, I have hardly seen any hardline element in the top leadership of the RSS, from Guruji to Mohan Bhagwat. Such a comparison is condemnable,” Ramdev told reporters.

Defending Rahul, Digvijay Singh said RSS was a “master in spreading rumours”. He added, “What Rahul Gandhi has said is correct. The RSS has no answer to what he has said. The Congress does not have to learn history and culture from RSS. They are known masters in spreading rumours.”

Replying to Madhav’s charge, Singh said, “Ram Madhav should read history. The BJP called Jinnah secular while the Congress always fought against his Muslim League. The RSS supported the British during the freedom struggle while we fought against them.”

He said that while the Congress had been fighting fanatic ideology irrespective of whether it concerned Hindus or Muslims, a number of persons belonging to Bajrang Dal, VHP and Abhinav Bharat had been found involved in terror incidents. He also dared the RSS to deny their association with it. “It is time the RSS introspected what people associated with it are doing,” Singh added.

The former Chief Minister also reacted strongly to the remarks of BJP spokesperson Prakash Javedkar that Rahul Gandhi seems to have lost his mental balance. “He (Javedkar) should first get his mental check-up done,” the AICC leader said.

Janardan Dwivedi, another AICC general secretary and chairman of the Congress media department, said, “What Rahul said was a political comment. We believe any comment by any organisation or individual politically opposed to one should be replied to in a civilised manner. We don’t believe in making such personal comments.”

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