Mumbai, April 30 In remarks that could whip up controversy, Congress's Maharashtra leader Hussain Dalwai on Wednesday compared the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to ISIS, calling it a "terrorist organisation."
This statement followed comments made by senior RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, who said: "Every Hindu household should keep a sword. If Hindus had shown a sword during the Pahalgam attack, that would have been enough.”
Speaking to IANS, Dalwai criticised Bhat’s remarks. "This is a completely wrong statement. It implies that they do not believe in the Constitution of India at all. They want to incite conflict and spread anger across every village. I believe that just as ISIS spreads terror in Pakistan, similar actions are now being carried out by the RSS here," he said.
"RSS leaders should clarify whether they consider the organisation a terrorist one. If it is, then their statements make sense. But if not, then the head of the RSS should publicly clarify their position and expel those who make such inflammatory remarks. In my view, the RSS operates like a terrorist organisation," he added.
Dalwai further stated: "The remarks made by a leader from Kerala have no weight, and it reflects the RSS’s overall ideology. Similar ideologies have taken root in both Pakistan and here. The public must recognise what these individuals are doing. Does keeping a sword or knife in one’s home promote peace, or does it stir violence? If these actions are aimed at inciting terrorism, then the public must be vigilant and respond accordingly."
On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that the armed forces have his full confidence and complete operational freedom to decide on the mode, targets, and timing of India's response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 people, Dalwai said: "I have always maintained that the Prime Minister should have engaged the Opposition earlier. He made grand statements in Bihar, and if he is serious now, we will welcome that. People in Pakistan even say that he should govern there, in Lahore - it would be better than what they currently have. Pakistan lacks democracy; it is ruled by the military, and they act without accountability. If the Prime Minister is learning lessons from that, then we support him."
"Rahul Gandhi and (Congress President) Mallikarjun Kharge have suggested that a special session of Parliament be convened to discuss these issues collectively. If the government is willing to take this step, the Opposition will fully support them," he added.
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