RSS lauds report that made Advani apologise

“The report is incisive, stunning and disturbing…. The BJP has done a great service to the nation…. Its task force has done a marvelous job," says the editorial of RSS mouthpiece Organiser's February 27 issue — which has just hit the stands — in approval of the BJP-commissioned task force report.

“The report is incisive, stunning and disturbing…. The BJP has done a great service to the nation…. Its task force has done a marvelous job," says the editorial of RSS mouthpiece Organiser's February 27 issue — which has just hit the stands — in approval of the BJP-commissioned task force report. Among other things, the editorial has also accused the Nehru-Gandhi family of having stashed black money abroad.

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Ironically, this thumbs up has come at a time when senior BJP leader LK Advani — who was earlier being seen as particularly enthusiastic about the task force — has expressed deep regret over the allegations.

The first two pages of the Organiser issue publish a detailed extract of the task force report and claims: "… the name of Late Rajiv Gandhi was found among the 14 leaders who had reportedly stashed away their bribes in secret Swiss accounts."

Advani wrote to Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday: "I am happy that you have denied the reports relating to you and your family alluded to in the Task Force's Report on black money. If these had been denied earlier, the task force would have taken your denial into account. Even so, I deeply regret the distress caused to you."

RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Manmohan Vaidya and veteran Sangh ideologue MG Vaidya refused to comment on Advani's letter, on condition of anonymity some RSS functionaries were critical of Advani.

Meanwhile, senior leader Murli Manohar Joshi while defending Advani on Saturday, said: "This will make our campaign against black money even stronger. It shows immense character and a principled stand that a correction was made. This shows we are honest." The Sangh mouthpiece adds: "There will be a number of people pooh-poohing the task force.

Many BJP leader are unhappy both about Advani's enthusiasm for the "outsourced" task force earlier, and his U-turn.