The Congress' charge that Ramdev is an RSS prop was nothing but a manifestation of a "BJP-RSS phobia" within the party and it has resorted to this labeling since pre-Emergency days whenever its government is cornered, the BJP today said.
The Congress' charge that Ramdev is an RSS prop was nothing but a manifestation of a "BJP-RSS phobia" within the party and it has resorted to this labeling since pre-Emergency days whenever its government is cornered, the BJP today said.
"When Anna Hazare first raised the Lokpal issue he had been clubbed with the RSS. These days Ramdev's movement is being dubbed as RSS sponsored. Let no one forget that even Jai Prakash Narayan had to hear similar noises when he was leading the anti-Emergency movement," senior BJP leader LK Advani said on his blog today.
Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh had called Ramdev an agent of the RSS and a 'thug'.
Interestingly, his comments have come on a day when RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat issued an appeal to Ramdev to end his fast saying the country needs his "guidance in the movement for national regeneration" and this has been hampered by his deteriorating health.
BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman alleged that Congress is using its "BJP-RSS phobia" to justify the midnight crackdown on peaceful protesters at Ramlila grounds.
She maintained that Congress is using this tactic to counter charges of corruption being leveled against it.
"They feel cornered and resort to labeling people and charging them of destabilising government. Let us recall that pre-Emergency, Acharya Kripalani, Jayaprakash Narayan and during the Bofors, V P Singh were called RSS agents too," Sitharaman said.
BJP alleged that instead of indulging in this labeling exercise, Congress should answer the questions being raised by civil society on corruption and blackmoney.
"Instead the Congress has charged them with 'attempting to destabilise the government'. Senior ministers are often parroting the infamous charges, 'conspiracy to unseat the government', and 'war on the government' and 'divisive forces' reminding us of pre-Emergency days," Sitharaman said.
In reply to a question on whether BJP was supporting Ramdev and Anna Hazare in their fight against corruption, the BJP spokesperson said, "We are supportive of the causes (fight against corruption and blackmoney) they both uphold."
She maintained that the government was "duty-bound" to answer the questions being raised by Ramdev and Hazare.
Asked about union minister M Veerappa Moily's reported comments that the government would not hold any formal talks with Ramdev, she said, "I am not surprised at the statement".
BJP supported Bhagwat's appeal to Ramdev to give up his fast and said it was concerned about the yoga guru's health.
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