RSS hits back at Rahul, says he who doesn’t understand India, can’t understand Sangh

Congress president Rahul Gandhi recently said the RSS’s idea is similar to that of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Arab world. He also alleged that the RSS was trying to “change” the nature of India and “capture” its institutions.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has not understood India yet and, consequently, can’t be expected to understand the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a senior RSS functionary said on Monday, in response to the Opposition leader equating the Sangh with the Muslim Brotherhood.

File photo of Congress president Rahul Gandhi. (PTI photo)

“The entire world today is facing the threat of Islamic fundamentalism. He (Gandhi) is unaware... he does not understand the gravity of the situation. That’s why he is making such statements,” RSS’s publicity in-charge Arun Kumar told reporters.

Kumar added that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat would attend a three-day lecture series in New Delhi between September 17 and 19 to interact with prominent personalities, including legal luminaries, columnists, and political activists, to offer the Sangh’s perspective on the future of the country.

There were unsubstantiated reports, denied by the Congress, that Gandhi has also been invited to the lectures. Kumar said it was the RSS’s prerogative to invite whoever it wanted to in response to a question on Gandhi’s participation, but did not directly answer it. “Leave this to us... But people from all walks of life, including from different political outfits, ideologies and religions, will be invited.”

Gandhi said at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London last week that the RSS’s idea is similar to that of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Arab world. He also alleged that the RSS was trying to “change” the nature of India and “capture” its institutions.

The RSS, Kumar said, realises that there is a growing eagerness among larger section of the society, including the intellectuals and the youth, to know and understand the RSS’ perspective on various issues of national importance.

Kumar said this is the first time the RSS is organising such an event and trying to interact with such a wide range of people.