RSS raises issue of PM’s faith

The RSS hit out at Manmohan Singh for the controversial affidavit on the Ram Setu filed in the Supreme Court, pointing to his Sikh faith and references to Ram in its holy texts.

The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh hit out at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the controversial affidavit on the Ram Setu filed in the Supreme Court, pointing to his Sikh faith and references to Ram in its holy texts.

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An editorial in the RSS mouthpiece Organiser said Singh — a confirmed religious Sikh — should have known better than to question Ram’s historicity since the Guru Granth Sahib, “the holy Gurbani of the revered Guru Gobind Singh is known for salutations to Sri Ram”. “No comments,” said an official in the Prime Minister’s Office.

But the editorial backfired on the RSS that considers Sikhs to be part of the Hindu family.

“The Guru Granth Sahib is known for its message of monotheism and not for salutations to Lord Ram. The message is one but allusions and references from ancient texts of different faiths are numerous. The RSS’ statement is highly condemnable,” Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief Paramjit Singh Sarna said.

In Bhopal, BJP national vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the affidavit was a bigger issue than the Ramjanmabhoomi for the NDA. The controversy will be a major issue for discussion during the three-day national executive meet of the party in Bhopal from September 21-23, he said.