BHOPAL: The political controversy triggered by opposition Congress's promise to ban RSS shakhas in government premises if voted to power in Madhya Pradesh, doesn't seem to be dying down.
While the MP Congress Committee (MPCC) chief Kamal Nath is trying hard to play down the issue, a sitting legislator of the party Sunderlal Tiwari has rendered more fuel to the ongoing controversy by dubbing RSS as atankwaad ke prateek (symbol of terrorism.), Tiwari, the sitting MLA from Gurh assembly seat of Rewa district, who is seeking re-election from the same seat again as Congress candidate justified the Congress's promise in its Vachan-Patra (poll manifesto) of banning RSS shakhas in government premises as well as not allowing government servants to attend the Sangh shakhas, after being voted to power in the state.
"It (RSS) is a full-fledged political organization, which got Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi) murdered and creates atmosphere of fear and hatred in the society on religious lines. They never hoist the national flag in their shakhas, they are symbol of terrorism," said Tiwari in Rewa.
Tiwari, the former Lok Sabha member from Rewa and the son of former MP Vidhan Sabha Speaker Late Sriniwas Tiwari is known for making controversial statements. A few months back, he had dubbed Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan a "prostitute" for making populist promises.
However, when queried on Tuesday by journalists in Bhopal about Tiwari's remarks of RSS being a symbol of terrorism, the MPCC chief Kamal Nath said it could be Tiwari's personal views. "The party doesn't endorse his views," said Nath. On Monday, also Nath had clarified over the issue, saying that nowhere in the party's Vachan-Patra has a promise been made to ban the RSS. The document only mentions about ending the practice of RSS shakhas in government premises and banning government officials and employees from attending RSS shakhas.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is on a whirlwind tour of the November 28 assembly poll-bound state has told the journalists "it was me only who had decided that no one can be stopped from taking part in RSS shakhas, as it is a nationalist organization which instils spirit of patriotism among people. It's an organization which is endlessly engaged in national building and making people disciplined.
"I don't know what kind of false ego has prompted the Congress to make such a promise, but attempts made in the past even by Pandit Nehru and Indira Gandhi's regime to ban Sangh in the past couldn't succeed. No one can ban Sangh shakhas anywhere and stop anyone, including government employees from attending the shakhas," said Chouhan.
It was in 2006 only, a few months after Chouhan took over MP CM that RSS shakhas were allowed to be held in government premises and government employees were permitted to attend the shakhas in MP. On Sunday, a day after the Congress released the poll manifesto, the ruling BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra had slammed the opposition party for the promise pertaining to the RSS shakhas.Patra had said on Sunday that "the Congress' promise exposed its inherent mindset of Mandir nahi banane denge aur Shakha nahi lagne denge (neither temple construction nor the holding of Shakhas will be allowed)."