Author: Times News Network
Publication: The Times of India
Date: August 11, 2004
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/811149.cms
Union HRD minister Arjun Singh,
who is spearheading a vehement campaign against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh, had called on a senior functionary of the RSS at Allahabad soon
after resigning from the Narasimha Rao government.
According to RSS spokesperson Ram
Madhav, the meeting took place in 1994. But he declined to either identify
or state the purpose of Singh's visit.
Madhav said here on Wednesday that
Singh's elder brother, Rana Bahadur Singh, was a district RSS chief for
a long time. RSS sarsanghchalak MS Golwalkar had stayed at the Singh residence
on two occasions.
In the past, a senior RSS lawyer
of Uttar Pradesh had appeared on behalf of Singh in an election petition,
he said. "In spite of these facts, how can Singh accuse the RSS of spreading
hatred and inciting violence?" he asked. Madhav said if Singh did not apologise
for linking the RSS with the assassination of Gandhi, he will have to face
a criminal defamation case.
"Singh should remember that many
court buildings do not have lifts," Madhav remarked, referring obliquely
to the minister's health. The Union minister had alleged at a national
convention on secularism that the RSS was behind Gandhi's assassination.
Subsequently, Madhav claimed, Singh
changed his words by issuing a written statement in which he said the RSS
ideology was responsible for the murder. "This is cowardice on Singh's
part. We challenge him to stick to his original statement as reported in
the media," the spokesman said.
Quoting from various official documents,
Madhav said the RSS had not been held guilty of the Mahatma's murder at
any time.
In this connection, Madhav read
out a few sentences from the autobiography of veteran leader DP Mishra,
who was home minister of Central Provinces at the time of the assassination.
Mishra had stated that the RSS had
no role in the murder and said Congress leaders had been misusing the incident
to indulge in violence.
Madhav also referred to a letter
written by Sardar Patel to then prime minister Nehru on February 27, 1948.
"The RSS is not involved in the Mahatma's assassination.... We can blame
other crimes and sins upon it but not this one," the letter said, Madhav
pointed out.
He said the Justice Kapur Commission,
appointed in 1965 to probe the assassination, too had exonerated the RSS.
"Congress leaders have been raking
up the issue from last 50 years for political benefits and did the same
for creating a rift between the Sardar and Nehru. The Union HRD minister
is doing the same thing for strengthening his place in their party," Madhav
said.
