‘It is laughable that Rahul Gandhi equates SIMI with RSS’

'It is laughable that Rahul Gandhi equates SIMI with RSS'

Vikas Pathak, Hindustan Times

In an attempt to counter the Hindutva terror charges, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) says Rahul Gandhi reduced the seriousness of the war against terror with his statements to US ambassador Timothy Roemer reported by Wikileaks. The RSS literature that is being distributed in the organisation's nationwide door-to-door campaign says, "When Rahul Gandhi equates SIMI and RSS, it is laughable because leave alone RSS he does not know the past of the Congress and his own ancestors. His equating the Sangh with SIMI, which dreams of the return of Ghazni to India, shows the ignorance of Rahul Gandhi." The booklet, of which HT has a copy, also attacks Congress leader Digvijaya Singh for his statements against the Sangh.

Hindustan Times had first reported that such a campaign would be undertaken by the RSS from January 26 to February 13.

The booklet further says, "Sant, Mandir and Sangh are guarantees of the security of this nation. The central government wants to destroy every symbol of the Hindu religion, and Hindu society will never accept this. Hindu society, saffron colour and the RSS are antonyms of terrorism."

The literature also discusses the Kashmir problem, calling for the abrogation of Article 370. Significantly, while the RSS' political affiliate BJP has projected its recent Kashmir Yatra as a matter of the citizen's right to hoist the national flag, the Sangh booklet is far more upfront about its Hindutva leanings.

The literature, however, agrees that some extremist Hindus may be involved in terror activities, though it insists that the RSS has nothing to do with such people. It also alleges a political controversy against the Sangh.

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