Digvijay says RSS like Lashkar, but banning outfit is no solution

Comparing the RSS with terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh on Friday termed the attacks by Congress workers on Sangh offices over its former chief Sudarshan’s alleged deragotary remarks on Sonia Gandhi as an “expected reaction”.

 Addressing a press conference here, Singh, however, said he did not support idea of banning the RSS. “Such organisations must be fought at ideological plane.”Singh said ban on organisations such as the RSS does not serve any purpose. “It has 125 different affiliated organisations, so they continue to function despite ban. In Pakistan, when Lashkar-e-Toiba was banned, it resurfaced as Jamaat-ud-Dawa,” he said.

 His remarks came in response to a question on why the government doesn’t ban the RSS when Sonia Gandhi had singled it out as a threat in her address to the recent AICC meet. “The remark by a person like Sudarshan has come despite his upbringing in the RSS culture. It must be condemned. Soniaji is an embodiment of sacrifice and has proved to be an ideal daughter-in-law, ideal wife and ideal mother,” Singh said.When pointed out that the RSS had apologised for the remarks, Singh said: “The BJP should also apologise because it is the political wing of the RSS.”

Claiming that the Congress was “extremely sensitive” to corruption, Singh said it was the DMK that had to take a call on Union Minister A Raja in the 2G spectrum scam. He, however, quickly added that the Prime Minister will decide on the matter after he returned from abroad.Singh defended the Maharashtra government in the Adarsh society row, saying: “The society allots flat, the government doesn’t. Govt allots only land.

So, the government isn’t responsible.”In reply to a question, Singh said saffron colour associated with valour and religion and hence the use of “saffron terrorism” was wrong. “We should call it ghor atankwad,” he said. This is probably the first time any senior Congress leader has opposed the use of “saffron terror”, a term used by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram. When asked to explain the backwardness of Muslims despite 50 years of Congress rule at the Centre, Singh said: “What the Sachar committee has pointed out must be accepted as a reality. We humbly accept it and have initiated corrective steps."

Source : Indian express