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No place for radicals in RSS: Bhagwat
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat admitted there were some members in the Sangh who had radical views but they were told to leave the organisation since this "extremism" will not work in the outfit.
Asserting there was no place for radicals in RSS, Bhagwat lashed out at Congress for giving a terror tag to his outfit alleging this was part of a conspiracy against the Sangh.
Trashing allegations of RSS' links to terror attacks following Swami Aseemanand's reported confession, Bhagwat said those accused in various blasts are in no way connected to the organisation.
Responding to Bhagwat's remarks, Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari said "rather than the rats deserting the ship it seems to be a case of the ship deserting the rats."
"Of the majority of the people whom the government has accused in various blast cases, a few had left voluntarily and a few were told by the Sangh that this extremism will not work here so you go away," Bhagwat said.
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'Congress vote bank getting disintegrated'
The RSS supermo also hit out at the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance for allegedly maligning the Sangh's immage.
"The vote banks that were built are getting disintegrated, results of some elections have not gone in their favour a very serious picture is emerging before the people in the country. They are afraid and have got united to malign our image," Bhagwat said.
'Linking terror to RSS a conspiracy'
The allegations of the Sangh's terror links, he said, was part of a conspiracy against the organisation and its members, said Bhagwat.
The RSS chief, who is in Surat on a four-day visit to attend the Uttarayan festival organised by the some RSS members, was responding to the recent allegations of Sangh's links with Mecca Masjid, Ajmer, Samjhauhta Express and Malegaon blasts after Aseemanand's confession.
"Fingers are being pointed at nationalists while, those who are working against the nation are being sheltered."
About Aseemanand's reported confession, Bhagwat said, "Earlier investigations in Samjhauta blast case revealed involvement of terrorists, now another statement has appeared. So what is the truth?"
'Extremism is not Hindutva'
There is a game to gain power by causing a rift among people. To terrorise people, a new label -- saffron terrorism -- has been floated by some politicians to brand people linked to RSS as trouble makers," Bhagwat said.
He said that RSS was not founded to suppress any community, but to unite all communities. "But now the Sangh is being portrayed as evil by linking it with those who have left the organisation."
On Hindutva, he said, "Extremism is not Hindutva. Hindutva is all inclusive and it is our identity".
RSS had recently sent a legal notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation, accusing it of "deliberately leaking" to the media the reported confession of right-wing activist Swami Aseemanand, an accused in 2007 Samjhauta Express blast.
Aseemanand, had reportedly confessed that he and several Sangh activists among others had a direct role in Malegaon, Samjhauta Express, Ajmer and Mecca Masjid blasts.