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RSS threatens to sue Arjun Singh

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Last updated on: August 09, 2004 19:23 IST

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Monday threatened to sue Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh for his allegation holding it responsible for Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.

"We are seriously considering taking legal action against Singh for his utterly uncalled for and irresponsible allegations against the RSS. We are consulting our legal advisors," RSS spokesman Ram Madhav said in Delhi.

He was referring to Singh's speech at the National Convention on Secularism in Delhi on Sunday in which he had also urged the prime minister to cleanse the administration of people owing allegiance to 'the fascist' RSS.

The RSS spokesman pointed out that former Congress chief Sitaram Kesri had also indulged in 'such kind of rubbish' and 'when we took recourse to legal action, he came running to RSS leaders and profusely apologised for his irresponsible utterances'.

"It does not befit the stature of a central minister to talk this kind of nonsense while knowing fully well that the tribunals constituted to look into Gandhi's murder had unequivocally declared that the Sangh had nothing to do with it.

"People who sit at the feet of Italian fascists and Stalinist leftists have no right to point fingers at the staunch nationalists," he said.

On the HRD minister's demand for purging the administration of 'RSS men', Madhav said the administration was 'nobody's personal property' and 'our swayamsewaks (volunteers) are loyal citizens of this country'.

"Just because somebody has association with the RSS, nobody has got any right to say that he should be removed from the administration," he said.

If the government is 'ignorant' of the past history of 'this kind of vendetta' against people connected with the organisation, "We can supply them with all the judgments of different high courts, which they can read to enhance their knowledge."

Commenting on Arjun Singh's statement at a press conference in Delhi on Saturday that all institutions, including the RSS-run 'shishu mandirs' should 'keep in mind' that there should be no room for division or controversy in the education system, Madhav said, "Those who talk of divisiveness in education should first turn their attention to madrasas that are mushrooming all over the country.

"The shishu mandirs follow the curricula of the respective state governments and what they teach is patriotism, which may not be to the liking of people who want to do away with Prevention of Terrorism Act and spread the red carpet to terrorists," he said.
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