Rajnath Singh defends RSS, hits out at Rahul Gandhi

Rajnath Singh slammed Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for his attack on RSS and said opposition parties were not aware of India's culture and character.

Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday slammed Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for his attack on RSS. He said opposition parties were not aware of India's culture and character.

Rajnath-Singh

Replying to Gandhi's accusation that RSS was running the education system in the country, Singh said RSS's ideology considers the whole world as a single family. "Previous governments used to run by instilling fear among Muslims while we want to move ahead by taking everyone along. We will not discriminate against anyone," said Singh addressing a rally here.

"There are 72 different factions in Islam. Even in Islamic countries, all these factions are not living together. But you can find people of all of these factions in India. This is India's culture," the home minister said. He accused the Congress for "instilling fear among minorities by taking the name of RSS."

Singh also took a dig at Rahul for his comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's frequent foreign tours. "Congress' `yuvraj' claims that our PM lives more in foreign countries than in India. I want to tell him that past PMs visited foreign countries as a political formality, while this PM goes to strengthen the nation," he said. He also talked about how TV channels worldwide now broadcast every one of his visits.

"Congress' `yuvraj' went on two months' sabbatical abroad without informing anyone. As the home minister, I was also worried about his whereabouts. And he is now leveling mindless allegations against our PM," he said.