Digvijay’s latest: Advani helped RSS infiltrate government, media

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh, who has lost none of his vitriol, pilloried the BJP on Monday — the anniversary of Babri Masjid’s destruction — accusing its leaders, such as LK Advani, of planting secret agents in government and the media. Zia Haq reports.

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh, who has lost none of his vitriol, pilloried the BJP on Monday — the anniversary of Babri Masjid’s destruction — accusing its leaders, such as LK Advani, of planting secret agents in government and the media.

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Singh said the Rashtriya Swamsevak Sangh (RSS) had infiltrated government ranks in large numbers and asked the Congress-led UPA government to be “vigilant” towards a resurgent right.

“RSS has people everywhere. Advani had even planted RSS men in the media when he was information and broadcasting minister,” Singh said, releasing a book by Urdu journalist Aziz Burney, titled An RSS Conspiracy in 26/11?

Accusing the RSS of frequently launching “media propaganda”, Singh said recent reports of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi being on terror outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyeba’s hitlist — attributed to Wikileaks revelations — “need to be verified if this is indeed true”.

A section of Muslims, including Burney, has been controversially accusing the RSS of taking advantage of the 26/11 attacks to “kill” Hemant Karkare, the Masharashtra anti-terror squad chief who was probing alleged terror activities of some far-right Hindu outfits.

“I do not know if the RSS had any hand in Karkare’s death. I am not even suggesting this. But he did face threats. A few hours before 26/11 happened, Kakare had told me that he was worried that his Nagpur-based parents were facing death threats,” Singh said.

Singh’s comments left the BJP bristling.

“He (Digvijay Singh) should stop worrying about the RSS and start worrying about ISI (the Pakistan external intelligence agency),” BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.

Earlier, too Singh has ruffled feathers with his statements calling Chidambaram “extremely rigid, saying that Maoists are not terrorists.