New Delhi: Questioning the commitment of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi towards Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, senior Congress leader and Union Minister Kapil Sibal on Wednesday said he should disassociate himself from RSS if he had any respect for the Iron Man.
"Sardar Patel was a secular leader. In fact after the death of Mahatma, he banned RSS on February 4, 1948 for anti-national activities. Modi who considers Sardar Patel as his mentor should then endorse the decision of the Iron Man to have banned the RSS," Sibal told a news agency.
Sibal said Modi should endorse the resolution banning the RSS which declared that forces of hate and violence were at work in the country and imperil freedom of the nation.
"These were the sentiments of Sardar Patel. Modi obviously is oblivious of historical facts, indulges in distortion," he said.
BJP on various occasions has maintained that the decision to ban RSS in 1948 was taken due to pressure from Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
Sibal also quoted a speech of Patel in which he said, "If you think you can go on constantly troubling loyal Muslims just because they happen to be Muslims, remember our freedom is not worthwhile."
"What his (Modi`s) administration has done and for which his administration is being prosecuted...Are all contrary to what Sardar Patel stood for," he said.
Sibal said that Sardar Patel was truly secular and considered the Sangh`s activities undesirable and dangerous.
"It is Modi consequently, if he has to follow the Iron Man that is Sardar Patel and if he is honest about his beliefs then he has to disassociate himself from the RSS but he will never do that becuase Modi as always is double faced and indulges in double speak," he added.
PTI
