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RSS is as fanatical as SIMI: Rahul

ET Bureau Oct 7, 2010, 04.14am IST

NEW DELHI: Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi took a direct shot at the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) by calling it a fanatical organisation like the banned Students Islamic Movement (SIMI).

Mr Gandhi, addressing the media in Bhopal, said he felt there was not much difference between SIMI and RSS, as both were "fanatical" and held "fundamentalist" views.

On told that he had made a controversial statement equating the two groups, Mr Gandhi said he failed to see any controversy in it. When pointed out that SIMI was a proscribed outfit, which was not the case with RSS, Mr Gandhi said that this did not matter much as far as he was concerned. "I know only that both SIMI and RSS are fanatical and hold fundamentalist views," he asserted.

The AICC general secretary's remarks invited angry reactions from RSS and BJP, with the former advising Mr Gandhi that "knowledge of organisations functioning within the country was as essential as understanding of Italy and Columbia." BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar went a step further, and contended that "only mentally disabled people can compare SIMI with RSS. SIMI is a terrorist outfit."

"People who make such utterances have to first understand India and Indian society well. It's not enough to know only Italy and Colombia," RSS spokesman Ram Madhav said, adding, "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, which has been accused of fundamentalism in the last six decades.''

After the Sangh Parivar's scathing attack, Congress upped the ante. "We believe that any comment made by any political party or organisation should be replied to in a civilised manner," party general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said. Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh was, however, more direct and trenchant in his attack on the Sangh Parivar. "I don't want to give any credence to what Mr Ram Madhav says. What is his credibility can be gauged by the fact that when RSS activists were attacking a TV channel's office, he was on television saying there has been no attack and everything is peaceful. There is no need to give importance to what Mr Ram Madhav says," Mr Singh said. He counted a number of members of Hindu fundamentalist organisations who have been recently arrested for involvement in various acts of terror. "Will they (RSS) deny that Colonel Purohit, Devender Gupta (allegedly involved in Ajmer attack), Sunil Joshi, Sunil Dange are not members of RSS," Mr Singh asked.

Reacting sharply to RSS spokesman's remarks that Mr Gandhi should know the history of Congress, Mr Singh said, "Mr Ram Madhav needs to know the history of Congress. Congress has always fought Hindu and Muslim fundamentalist forces together. Before Independence, when RSS was supporting the British and Mohammed Ali Jinnah was talking about Pakistan, Congress was fighting both of them. So the issue at hand is religious fundamentalism. Mr Madhav should not divert attention by talking about irrelevant issues."