RSS mouthpiece slams BJP tilt towards tainted

Days after tainted former Uttar Pradesh family welfare minister Babu Singh Kushwaha got cozy with the BJP, RSS mouthpiece Panchjanya has published an editorial in its latest issue denouncing corrupt party-hoppers in the specific context of the state.

Days after tainted former Uttar Pradesh family welfare minister Babu Singh Kushwaha got cozy with the BJP, RSS mouthpiece Panchjanya has published an editorial in its latest issue denouncing corrupt party-hoppers in the specific context of the state.

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However, the Sangh officially refused to comment on its political affiliate BJP's closeness to tainted leaders immediately after a high-decibel campaign against corruption.

Though the edit does not mention the BJP, the oblique indictment is clear. "Seat-wise arithmetic (in UP) is leading to compromises with people whose actions have let down democracy and public interest. It has become a political practice for such people to jump parties and be accepted," the editorial says in the context of Uttar Pradesh.

"Parties that should be symbols of chaal, charitra and chehra (integrity and clean politics) have demonstrated an ethical slide that militates against the ideal of a welfare state. Parties and leaders who do vote-centric instead of idealistic politics can't be vehicles of clean governance."

Asked about the comments, RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Manmohan Vaidya said in Delhi these were views of the Panchjanya. He refused to comment on the BJP's recent inductions, saying the party was independent in its decision-making and it was a BJP matter and not a Sangh matter.

Specifically asked if the BJP's approach did not suggest "double-standards", Vaidya said, "It can be called double-standards (by some people) but things should not be viewed in black and white. The party itself is the best judge of what is the arithmetic. The Sangh has not studied the arithmetic."

He, however, refused to be drawn into a debate whether the BJP's closeness to Kushwaha made sense in terms of an OBC outreach.

While refusing to criticise the party's decision, he made it clear that the Sangh was not "defending" it either.