Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (January 23) targeted the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and directly called the organisation "fascist" and "male chauvinist". He also said that the organisation was "controlling" India today.
To make his point, the Congress leader highlighted that women are not allowed in the RSS and reasoned that no country can progress without giving women equal opportunity as men to progress.
"I agree that without giving equal place to women no country can progress. Unfortunately the organisation that controls India today is a fascist, male chauvinist organisition. Women are not allowed in the RSS," Rahul Gandhi said while addressing a crowd gathered at a Congress event in Tamil Nadu's Tiruppur.
"They (RSS) discriminate against women from the beginning. Any organisation that doesn't let women in it obviously doesn't respect women. If you respected women, you would have given them equal space in your organisation,"
Gandhi, while speaking at the event, also lambasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the latter's aversion to press conferences.
Addressing the crowd, Rahul Gandhi said, "I am speaking to you. Taking questions from you. Have you ever seen the Prime Minister doing that? He will sit in one room with five people, the biggest business people in the country, and will discuss with them. He will never discuss with farmers, workers, and small business people what they think."
Launching his party's campaign for Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi partnered with big businessmen and was 'selling' everything that belonged to the people.
Addressing people from an open van here, Gandhi targeted the Prime Minister in his first of the three-day campaign of western Tamil Nadu.
In April or early May state assembly elections are likely in the state.
"What does Modi do ? Modi partners with three or four big businessmen in this country. They provide him media and he provides them money," he alleged.
"Narendra Modi is one by one selling everything that belongs to the people of India and Tamil Nadu." The Congress MP said what belonged to the farmers was now being taken away by three new farm laws and alleged ryots "are going to be made servants" of biggest industries.
Attacking BJP, he said his party was involved in a fight against a 'particular' ideology that believed that "only one culture, one language and one idea should rule India." Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "no respect" for the culture, language and people of Tamil Nadu, he alleged.
Modi "thinks that the Tamil people, Tamil language and Tamil culture should be subservient to his ideas, his culture," Gandhi claimed.
The Congress leader, who is visiting Tamil Nadu for the second time within 10 days, was accorded a rousing reception by Congress workers at the airport on his arrival from Delhi.
He is set to cover districts including Coimbatore, and Erode, in western parts of the state, popularly known as the 'Kongu' (Tamil name) region.
He visited Madurai on January 14 to witness bull taming sport 'Jallikattu.'
(With inputs from agencies)
