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National

Congress spreading canard: BJP

Special Correspondent

To point fingers at RSS is to insult devotion to motherland, says Javadekar
We are considering legal remedies against media claims: Ram Madhav

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Thursday decided to come out in full defence of its mother organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), whose alleged links with some recent terror incidents had made news.

Only a few days ago did BJP spokespersons tell reporters that any question on alleged links of some RSS functionaries with terror should be addressed to the Sangh.

But on Thursday, there was a clear change in the party's stance. Its spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh was spreading a canard about RSS links with the terror incidents in Ajmer, Hyderabad and Malegaon in 2007 and 2008. It was a Congress ploy to break unity among the Opposition parties that was on display during the successful nationwide bandh on July 7.

Mr. Javadekar said no one should question the RSS' credentials as the “foremost nationalist organisation” in the country. “To point fingers at the RSS is to insult devotion to motherland.”

Separately, RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav regretted that despite a categorical assertion by the CBI director that no RSS leader was interrogated by the agency, reports in some sections of the media continued to claim that RSS leaders were questioned. “We feel this is defamatory, and we are seriously considering legal remedies.”

Apparently, it was at a meeting of senior Sangh leaders at the RSS' Jhandewalan complex a decision was taken that the Sangh should consider legal recourse to counter what it called the “the continuing campaign” against it.

Between July 5 and 7, two meetings took place between the RSS and BJP leaderships to discuss terror allegations against some RSS ‘pracharaks.' The BJP was told in no uncertain terms that it was expected to strongly defend its parent body.

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