M A I N   N E W S

RSS no different from banned SIMI: Rahul

Bhopal/Delhi, October 6
In provocative remarks, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi today described the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as “fanatical”, saying it was no different from banned terror outfit SIMI and that both held “fundamentalist” views. “I know only that both SIMI and the RSS are fanatical and hold fundamentalist views,” he said at a press conference here.

When pointed out that the radical Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) was a proscribed outfit, which was not the case with the RSS, the Nagpur-headquartered right-wing group, Rahul stated that this did not matter much to him. Gandhi, who is on a tour of the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, went on to drive home his point, saying there could be no place for people with fanatical views in the Youth Congress. Asked about the Ayodhya title suit verdict, Rahul said it neither condoned the demolition of the Babri Masjid nor the large-scale violence that followed the December 6, 1992, event.

The Amethi MP said the aggrieved parties were free to approach the Supreme Court against the decree, which called for three-way division of the disputed site, if they so desired.

Meanwhile, incensed over being equated with the banned SIMI by Rahul Gandhi, the RSS today 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 the RSS and banned outfits and know the history of the 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 said.

The BJP, too, reacting strongly to Rahul Gandhi's remark, said the young leader seemed to have lost his mental balance and had shown political immaturity by his comments.

“Only a sick mind can do it (compare the RSS to SIMI). He seems to have lost his mental balance. RSS is an institution of nationalist thought while SIMI has been banned by their (Congress) government as it was banned by us when we were in power," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar today said in New Delhi.

Javadekar said, “The Congress knows it is not winning in Madhya Pradesh. I can understand its frustration. The Congress has been losing elections of late, be it the NSUI losing student union elections in Delhi or the party losing byelections in several states. Rahul Gandhi's magic is not working for the Congress.” He insisted that RSS had served the nation during crises in the past and its contribution to the country was immense. — PTI