New Delhi, February 8: Congress party leaders have sharply reacted to statements made by Mohan Bhagwat, the chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Congress MP Sukdev Bhagat described Bhagwat’s remarks as statements leading society towards a toxic environment.
In an interview with a news agency, Bhagat stated, “The RSS and its organizations lack emotional attachment to India. They did not participate in the struggle against the British; instead, they stood with the British during the Quit India Movement. They talk about breaking the entire country.”
He urged Bhagwat to study history, particularly regarding the arrival of Aryans and the teachings of the Rigveda. Bhagat further questioned, “While people are venturing into space, traveling to Mars and the Moon, why is Mohan Bhagwat making such statements? His comments are harmful to society.”
Congress leader Udit Raj also responded to Bhagwat’s statements, asserting, “The partition of the country occurred because of the RSS. We are still divided along caste lines. Savarkar proposed the two-nation theory. Additionally, the RSS formed governments with the Muslim League in Sindh and Bengal, who advocated for partition. It is the Congress party that has made India great.”
On Bhagwat’s comment that “everyone is Hindu,” Udit Raj remarked that if everyone is Hindu, then were those opposing UGC regulations not Hindus? He pointed out that atrocities against SC, ST, and OBC communities are still perpetrated by upper-caste individuals. If they are Hindus, why are these groups attacked? Why do upper-caste Hindus oppose reservations for SC, ST, and OBC?
In response to Bhagwat’s remarks, Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput stated, “While the words may sound appealing and the speeches may impress, becoming a hero in speeches does not equate to having character. Mohan Bhagwat, mere speeches will not yield results.”
He continued, “You (Mohan Bhagwat) make such speeches and move on, while your supporters lynch individuals like Akhlaq in the name of cow protection. They search for meat in people’s refrigerators, look for temples under mosques, and wave flags at shrines. First, you must address the communal tensions spread across the country due to the RSS and its affiliated organizations before making such hollow statements.”