Compares RSS with ISIS; BJP demands apology from Cong leader Ghulam Nabi Azad
New Delhi: Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad kicked a row on Saturday after he sought to draw a parallel between RSS and terrorist outfit ISIS, evoking sharp responses from the Hindutva outfit and BJP, which demanded an apology from him. “So, we oppose organisations like ISIS, the way we oppose RSS. If those among us in Islam too do wrong things, they are no way less than RSS,” leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said at a event organised by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind.
Hitting back, a RSS spokes-person in Nagaur, where a crucial meeting of the organisation’s functionaries is on, said such a comparison showed “intellectual bankruptcy” of Congress and its “unwillingness to deal with fundamentalist and cruel forces like ISIS”.
RSS will consider legal action against Azad, he said. BJP too jumped to the defence of its ideological mentor, calling it a nationalist organisation and demanding an apology from Azad.
The party said it was “unfortunate” that Azad had made such comments and asked Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to dissociate from his remarks and take action against him if he does not withdraw them.
“RSS is a nationalist organisation. It is very unfortunate that he has said so. It shows his mental bankruptcy. He must apologise or Gandhi should take action against him,” party National Secretary Shrikant Sharma said.
He said a number of Congress leaders, including Jawahar Lal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi, had tried to repress the organisation but it has only emerged “stronger”.
