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George has crossed his limits, says BJP New Delhi, July 13 “We are sad (with Fernandes’ statement). We disagree with it. The NDA is an alliance of political parties which have their own identity,” party spokesperson Sushma Swaraj said in strong defence of the RSS. Asserting that the BJP was inspired by the ideals of the RSS and was dedicated to it, she said: “Fernandes has gone beyond his jurisdiction and he should respect the feelings and sentiments of the party.” On the apprehension voiced by Mr Fernandes on the RSS influence on BJP ideology, she maintained that “the party’s ideology was no different today than what it was when it was in government or when the NDA was formed.” Mr Fernandes had in a statement yesterday asked the RSS to confine itself to socio-political matters and not arrogate to itself a political role. While the RSS told the JD(U) President to restrain from interfering in the internal matters of the Sangh and its fraternity, the BJP leaders went a step further and took Mr Fernandes head on. Another senior BJP leader Pyarelal Khandelwal reacted sharply to Mr Fernandes’ statement, saying that the NDA convener had “crossed his limits”. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti also jumped in the fray and asked Mr Fernandes to “refrain from interfering” in the affairs of the Sangh and her party. Fernandes’ concern at the unity of the NDA is understandable but he has no business to comment on the RSS-BJP relationship, which is like a mother-child relationship,” she told newspersons here on her way from Delhi to Gwalior. She said “the BJP owes its existence to the RSS and their relationship is everlasting. The moment this relationship is snapped, the BJP will be on the footpath, in fact, nowhere”. About Bihar elections, she said it would be fought under the leadership of senior JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar and that the Lalu- Congress alliance would be made to “bite the dust”.Despite the mounting attack from the BJP over his comments, Mr Fernandes stuck to his criticism of the Sangh saying that the issue could affect the NDA in the Bihar elections. “I am accustomed to a lot of public criticism,” he said and asserted that he would not withdraw his statement. He told reporters here that the “message” he intended to give was that “politics is the job of (political) party” and not that of an organisation like the RSS although it might be doing “immense work in various other areas and particularly in the social sector and also in meeting with answering people’s problems.” Mr Fernandes said he was expressing his feelings in his “personal capacity”.  |
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