Former RSS chief KS Sudarshan?s remarks about Sonia Gandhi on Thurssday created a furore and triggered angry reactions from the Congress.
Feeling the pressure, the RSS chose to totally disassociate itself from the controversial observations of its 80-year-old former Sarsanghchalak, while the BJP too expressed its disapproval saying as a democratically elected leader Gandhi deserves respect.
Taking strong objection to Sudarshan?s remarks, parliamentary affairs minister PK Bansal said, ?he said things which cannot be repeated? and asserted that ?it seems he has lost its mental balance.? He sought an apology from the BJP which, he said, draws its inspiration from the RSS. The Congress launched a scathing attack on Sudarshan calling him a ?fossil from the archaeological museum? ?No language can be more uncivilised than this. If Congressmen get worked up after reading all this, they (RSS) will be responsible for it. Congress strongly condemns this. The reaction to it should be such that none can use such uncivilised and obscene language again,? AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said.
The RSS, which was on a denial mode on Wednesday with its spokesperson Ram Madhav telling The Indian Express that Sudharshan had not addressed the media in Bhopal, on Thursday did a volte face in the face of sharp attack from the Congress. Adding to it was the view taken by the BJP leadership that such comments were simply unacceptable.
Senior RSS leader Manmohan Vaidya clarified that the remarks attributed to Sudharshan do not reflect the views of the outfit. ?The news item that appeared in news papers about Sonia Gandhi in the name of Sudarshanji was not the views of the RSS. The issue was neither discussed in the Sangh at any level nor does the Sangh has any knowledge about it,? he said.