Congress flays RSS, says its prolonged silence and Modi had made it 'irrelevant'
Congress' media and publicity head Pawan Khera said: "Mohan Bhagwatji, you reap what you sow. The fault is not of the soil, the fault is of the gardener.”
The Congress on Wednesday (June 12) hit out at the RSS, saying the Narendra Modi government had made it “irrelevant” and that the Constitution, society and democracy don’t need the RSS and its leader Mohan Bhagwat.
The hard-hitting Congress statement came after Bhagwat spoke on a variety of issues including the seemingly unending Manipur violence and the need to maintain decorum in politics.
Congress' media and publicity head Pawan Khera said: "Mohan Bhagwatji, you reap what you sow. The fault is not of the soil, the fault is of the gardener.
Litany of complaints
"When farmers were facing the wrath of the weather and police just outside the capital, you were silent. When a Dalit girl was raped and murdered in Hathras, you were silent. When the rapists of Bilkis Bano were released and your ideological brothers welcomed them, you were silent. When Dalits were being urinated upon, you were silent. When Pehlu Khan and Akhlaq were killed, you were silent. When Kanhaiya Lal's killers' links with the BJP were exposed, you were silent," Khera said of Bhagwat.
"Your silence and Narendra Modi have made you and the Sangh irrelevant. You've been made irrelevant by Amit Shah and the BJP. Your last chance was when the BJP leaders were talking about changing the Constitution, you should have spoken out but you remained silent," Khera said.
"What is the use of speaking now?" the Congress leader asked.
RSS not needed
The Constitution, democracy and the Indian society do not need the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) or Bhagwat as they can "protect and reboot" themselves, he said.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also hit out at Bhagwat and posted on X a Hindi couplet by Kabir -- "'Karta raha so kyon kiya, ab kari kyon pachtaye, boye pedh babool ka, amua kahan se paye' (loosely translating to 'you shall reap what you shall sow')."
Bhagwat speech
On Monday, addressing a gathering in Nagpur, Bhagwat expressed concern over the situation in Manipur and said that conflict in various places and in the society was not good.
Bhagwat stressed on unity among all communities in the country, and underlined the need to have a consensus between the ruling party and the opposition.