RSS is 'fanatical' like banned outfit SIMI : Rahul

Gandhi full of praise for prime minister Manmohan Singh who is "doing a fine job"

PTI | October 6, 2010



In provocative remarks, Rahul Gandhi today described the RSS as "fanatical", saying it was no different from banned terror outfit SIMI and that both hold "fundamentalist" views.

"I know only that both SIMI and the RSS are fanatical and hold fundamentalist views," he said at a press conference in Bhopal.

When pointed out that the radical Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) was a proscribed outfit, which was not the case with RSS, the Nagpur-headquartered right-wing group, Gandhi stated that this did not matter much for him.

Gandhi, who is on a tour of BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, went on to drive home his point saying there can be no place for people with fanatical views in the Youth Congress.

Asked about the Ayodhya title suit verdict, Gandhi said it neither condoned the demolition of the Babri Masjid nor the large-scale violence that followed the December 6, 1992 event.

The Amethi MP said the aggrieved parties were free to approach the Supreme Court against the decree, which calls for three-way division of the disputed site, if they so desired.

To questions on his becoming the prime minister, Gandhi said he has never worked under the assumption that he would one day occupy the top slot.

"It may be your assumption that I will become the prime minister but it is certainly not mine," Rahul said.

When told that it was his destiny to become the country's prime minister, he said, "I don't believe in destiny."

Gandhi was full of praise for prime minister Manmohan Singh who is "doing a fine job".

"We have a very capable prime minister. He is much more capable than me. He is on the job. My responsibilities are Youth Congress and NSUI and I am doing that."

Asked whether a youth will become the next PM, Gandhi refused to speculate but left everyone guessing, saying "What can be told about the future. Who can tell it".

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