RSS on Wednesday lashed out at Congress for its questioning of the role of swayamsevaks during the freedom struggle and declared that it would engage in a campaign to expose the party during the coming Lok Sabha polls.
RSS spokesman Ram Madhav also disputed the claim of Congress to be the inheritor of Mahatma Gandhi's legacy, alleging that Congress at present was a "fake Congress," which was trying to thrust a foreign leadership on the country.
"We had decided to keep away from the elections, but we have been dragged into it by Congress. Now, RSS will engage in a campaign to expose Congress from house to house," Madhav said.
"They have dragged us into it by alleging that we did not participate in the freedom struggle. Now they have to face it," he said.
He alleged that Congress had degenerated and was "shamelessly" not only projecting but also defending foreign leadership.
Questioning Congress' claim that it was the "sole inheritor" of the legacy of Swaraj, he asked "What is the relation between the present Gandhi and Mahatma Gandhi?"
VHP senior vice president Acharya Giriraj Kishore also took strong exception to Congress' questioning Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's role in the freedom struggle and pointed accusing fingers at Congress over its role in hanging of Bhagat Singh.
{{/usCountry}}VHP senior vice president Acharya Giriraj Kishore also took strong exception to Congress' questioning Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's role in the freedom struggle and pointed accusing fingers at Congress over its role in hanging of Bhagat Singh.
{{/usCountry}}"If this (Congress) party had wanted, it could have got signatures to stop Bhagat Singh's hanging. But, instead, it got it advanced by one day," he alleged.
On Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin, Kishore said "if we say it, it is not wrong. It is a fact that she was born in a foreign country and even Lord Brahma cannot change it."
Asked whether she should be eligible to become the Prime Minister, the VHP leader quipped "she is the daughter-in-law of the country and her 'sasural' (in-laws) will decide that."
"Congress is trying to make us a scapegoat to escape the main issue of foreign leadership that is hitting them in the face," the RSS spokesman charged.
Alleging that Congress was not being run by politicians but advocates and consultants, Madhav said the party was "spreading falsehood" about RSS' role in freedom struggle.
Madhav asserted RSS leaders and cadres had actively participated in demanding freedom from foreign rule along with leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Vithalbhai Patel prompting British CID to describe the organisation in its documents as the "biggest threat" to the Britishers.
He said Mahatma Gandhi had wanted "Ram Raj" (good rule) in the country and "we are doing exactly that."
The RSS attack did not stop at Congress, with Madhav questioning the role played by its "bed-fellows" Leftists during the Quit India Movement.