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Former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief K S Sudarshan's controversial statements against UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday led to a war of words between the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party with the former demanding that the party and the Sangh fountainhead condemn the statement if they do not concur with it.
Though the RSS did not come out with a statement, BJP distanced itself from Sudarshan's comments and even appeared critical of it.
"We strongly condemn Sudarshan's statement. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat should tell whether he agrees with the statement or not. If he doesn't, he should condemn it openly," Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh told media persons in New Delhi.
Dr Singh said that Gandhi's personality has been of an ideal wife, daughter-in-law and mother.
"To say such things against a person who has declined to accept the Prime Minister's post is totally condemnable," Dr Singh said.
While interacting with the media in Bhopal on Wednesday, Sudarshan had called Gandhi a CIA agent and accused her of plotting assassinations of her husband and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and his mother Indira Gandhi.
Sudarshan also charged Sonia for delaying medical aid to Indira Gandhi.
"Instead of taking her to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital she took her to a medical institute. Why was Rajiv Gandhi's Z plus security was withdrawn when he was on election campaign," former RSS chief asked.
He did not stop at that and described Sonia as illegitimate child who writes 1948 as her date of birth instead of 1946 when her father was in jail.
Responding to the article, Janardan Diwedi, congress general secretary and media incharge, said: "Who removed Z plus security cover of Rajiv Gandhi? It was the BJP government at the Centre. I appeal to the people of India to maintain calm. But as a Congressman, I ask the people and the party workers to fight such a malicious campaign. I seek the support of the people of India, party workers and media to fight tooth and nail and such organizations like RSS who take pride in describing itself as nationalist but do not hesitate to use such deplorable language."
The BJP distanced itself from Sudarshan's statement, saying Gandhi was an elected representative and should be treated with respect.
"As a democratically elected leader she (Gandhi) should be respected. She is the chairperson of a ruling coalition and as a democratically elected Indian leader she deserves our respect. Whatever political differences we have with her must be addressed within an accepted, democratic framework and behaviour," BJP spokesperson Tarun Vijay told PTI.
Sources said Sudarshan's attack on Sonia was triggered by Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi's statement that RSS and banned outfit SIMI were both fanatical and held fundamentalist ideology.
However, many in the BJP feel Sudarshan seems to have gone overboard.
Vijay, however, used this opportunity to do some Congress-bashing as well.
"We have fought and will continue to fight against her (Gandhi's) Kashmir policy and the ever-increasing assault on Hindu organisations, icons and sensitivities. We will also continue to expose the corruption being protected under her leadership but in a political set-up," he said.
The Rajya Sabha MP said his party was bound by Parliamentary traditions and norms.