BK Hariprasad's remarks on RSS have sparked a row and the BJP has responded sharply
- Senior Congress leader BK Hariprasad called RSS the 'Indian Taliban' in a recent statement
- Prime Minister Modi praised RSS for 100 years of service during his Independence Day address
- Hariprasad said RSS is not a registered organisation and questioned its funding
Senior Congress leader BK Hariprasad's "Indian Taliban" remark for BJP's ideological parent, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has drawn a sharp response from the ruling party. The BJP has said that the Congress abuses every nationalist organisation and loves banned radical outfits such as PFI and SIMI.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Mr Hariprasad, former MP and currently a member of the Karnataka legislative council, criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for praising the RSS in his Independence Day address.
"They (RSS) are trying to disturb peace in the country. I will only equate RSS with Taliban, they are Indian Taliban and the Prime Minister is appreciating them from Red Fort," he said.
"Did any 'Sanghi' participate in the freedom struggle? It's a shame that RSS is not a registered organisation. We don't know where they get funds. Any NGO that wants to work in the country should register, as per the Constitution," the former Rajya Sabha MP said.
Mr Hariprasad said the BJP and RSS are "masters of twisting history". "BJP and RSS are the masters of twisting history, and they are trying to rewrite history. It was AK Fazlul Huq (Bengal Prime Minister before Independence) and (Sangh ideologue) Syama Prasad Mookerjee who moved the first resolution in Bengal for the Partition. (Muhammad Ali) Jinnah and (Vinayak) Savarkar were of the opinion that both religions need a separate state. They are trying to blame Congress for it," he said.
Delivering his 12th Independence Day address, the Prime Minister on Friday congratulated the RSS for completing 100 years. "Today, I would like to proudly mention that 100 years ago, an organisation was born - Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Hundred years of service to the nation is a proud, golden chapter. With the resolve of 'vyakti nirman se rashtra nirman', with the aim of the welfare of Maa Bharati, swayamsevaks dedicated their lives to the welfare of our motherland... In a way, RSS is the world's biggest NGO. It has a history of 100 years of dedication," Prime Minister Modi said, ahead of the Sangh's centenary celebrations on September 25.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla responded sharply to Mr Hariprasad's remarks and said the Congress sees goons in Indian forces, surrender in Operation Sindoor, Taliban in RSS and considers Pakistan its own. "Insulting the forces, constitutional institutions, social organisations and Sanatan has become Congress's identity. Courts have pulled them up multiple times because of targeting nationalist organisations," he said. "The Congress's mindset is Taliban. Why did Mahatma Gandhi and Jayaprakash Narayan praise RSS? Why did (former President and Congress veteran) late Pranab Mukherjee visit the RSS headquarters?"
