'Deeply regrettable,' says RSS of Rahul comment; an 'injustice', adds VHP
'Deeply regrettable,' says RSS of Rahul comment; an 'injustice', adds VHP
NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi's remarks on Hindus in Lok Sabha on Monday sparked sharp reactions from the saffron organisations as the fountainhead Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliate VHP joined BJP in accusing the Congress functionary of inflicting "grave insult" on Hindus.
"It is extremely unfortunate that people holding responsible and important positions in Parliament are linking Hindutva with violence. Whether Hindutva is of Vivekananda or Gandhi, it is a symbol of harmony and brotherhood. Such reaction about Hindutva is deeply regrettable," said RSS national media head Sunil Ambekar.
President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Alok Kumar said Rahul Gandhi's comments "linking Hindus to violence" was an injustice to a community which never used violence to convert others but in line with the the policy Congress followed since Independence where it allowed other communities to practise their faith but advised the majority community to become "secular".
He also recalled Rahul Gandhi's conversation with US diplomats, as per disclosures made by Wikileaks, where he said that he was more concerned about Hindu radicalism than jehadi terrorism.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP's spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi also hit out at Rahul over for allegedly equating Hindus with violence and falsehoods. Trivedi said that former home ministers belonging to Congress , P Chidambaram and Sushil Shinde, had maligned Hindus by associating them with terrorism.
It was a concerted push back by the Sangh Parivar and appeared significant in view of the claims in certain quarters about differences between BJP and RSS, the assertion getting strengthened by the remarks of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat against "arrogance" which were seen by many as aimed against BJP.
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