NEW DELHI: The Visha Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Tuesday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of suffering from "intellectual bankruptcy" over his remarks describing the RSS as an "all male anti-constitutional cult" that believes women are the property of men.
The remarks came after Gandhi, also the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, on Tuesday said he believes in Shiva-Shakti and that it gives him joy to fight the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
"The RSS is an all male anti-constitutional cult that believes women are the property of men. I believe in Shiva-Shakti," Gandhi said in a post on X.
"That's why it gives me such joy to fight them. What's beautiful is that many of their 'own' women are on my side," the former Congress chief said.
Gandhi's remarks came on the foundation day of the RSS.
Reacting to the remarks, VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal accused Gandhi of intellectual bankruptcy and alleged that he repeatedly gets trapped in his own statements.
Bansal also hit out at Gandhi over his remark that many women from the RSS were on his side.
"You have also claimed in the past that government officials, police personnel, security forces and people in the government are with you, yet you are still out on the streets," Bansal said in a post on X.
Accusing Gandhi of using religion for political purposes, Bansal said, "At times, you claim to be fighting 'the power of Hinduism', while today, in your despicable politics and anti-Hindu mindset, you say, 'I believe in Shiva-Shakti'... the kind of hypocrisy he indulges in! This is India; everyone knows the truth."
Bansal also questioned Gandhi's silence on practices in other religious communities, alleging that women are not allowed to offer namaz alongside men.
"They do not even allow women to offer namaz alongside men. Why does his so-called 'Shiva-Shakti' fall silent when, to this day, women have not been allowed to become priests in certain religious establishments?" he said.
Claiming that Hindu society worships and venerates women and accords them respect by appointing women as religious leaders and Mahamandaleshwars, Bansal said Gandhi should remember that he is out on bail before criticising Hindu organisations.
He also urged Gandhi to refrain from using abusive language in the future.