Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Sparks Massive Row After Comparing RSS With Popular Front of India

Veteran Congress politician Digvijaya Singh has often taken pot shots at right-wing Hindu organizations in India, including the RSS and its offshoots.

A major political row erupted after Digvijaya Singh, former state chief of Madhya Pradesh and Congress parliamentarian, compared the Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) with the Islamic body Popular Front of India (PFI).

RSS is the ideological mentor of the country's federally ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), whereas the PFI has lately been in the news for all the wrong reasons after more than 100 of its members were arrested on charges of funding terrorist activities.

On Thursday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at the PFI's premises in 11 states all through India. According to the counter-terrorism force's initial investigation, the Islamic organization's office workers were conspiring to establish Muslim rule in the nation.

The controversy over Singh's remarks began on Saturday when he said that the RSS and PFI were two sides of the same coin.

Responding to the arrests of PFI members, Singh went so far as to say that if action could be taken against them, why were people associated with the RSS and other nationalist Hindu organizations roaming free?

"Action should be taken against all those who spread hatred and violence. Why is action not being taken against RSS & Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP)? [PFI and RSS] are 'Ek hi thaali ke chatte-batte (chips off the same block)'," Singh said.

The BJP hit back at Singh, with Federal Minister Anurag Thakur and Member of Parliament (MP) Sushil Modi launching a scathing attack against the Congress politician.

"If someone calls terrorist Osama, 'Osama Ji' when strict action is taken against the terrorists, then it can be assumed that it is being done to try to drum up votes," Thakur told reporters on Sunday.

Meanwhile, BJP politician from Bihar, Sushil Modi, said that Singh should be "ashamed" for saying such things against the RSS.

"Digvijaya Singh has always supported those who are terrorists. Today, his condition is such that he has failed to win power in Madhya Pradesh even after 20 years. He is comparing [PFI] with RSS whose patriotism is unquestionable," Modi concluded.