Mohan Bhagwat must apologise for insulting jawans: Rahul Gandhi keeps up the pressure on RSS chief

Rahul Gandhi had earlier also said that Mohan Bhagwat should be ashamed of "disrespecting martyrs and Army".

BIDAR: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday trained guns at Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat for his remarks that the 'Sangh will prepare military personnel within three days which the Army would do in 6-7 months'. Seeking an apology from the RSS chief, Rahul said that he has insulted the soldiers of the Army by making such a comment. "Mohan Bhagwat ji has insulted the sacrifices of our jawans. He should apologise for his remark," he said during his trip to poll-bound Karnataka.

Rahul had earlier also said that Bhagwat should be ashamed of drawing comparisons with the Army.  "The RSS Chief's speech is an insult to every Indian, because it disrespects those who have died for our nation. It is an insult to our flag because it insults every soldier who ever saluted it. Shame on you Mr Bhagwat, for disrespecting our martyrs and our Army," he had tweeted.

Speaking to the RSS cadre, Bhagwat had said that the Sangh can prepare an "army" within three days to fight for the country if such a situation arises. "This is our capability. Swayamsewak will be ready to take on the front if the country faces such a situation and Constitution permits to do so)," Bhagwat had said.

He had also said that the Sangh is neither a military nor a paramilitary organisation, but is like a "parivarik sangathan" (family organisation) where discipline is practised like the Army and where workers are always happily ready to make supreme sacrifice for their country.

However, the RSS issued a clarification saying that Bhagwat's speech was being misrepresented. RSS, in the statement, said: "Bhagwat ji had said that if situation arises and the Constitution permits, Indian army would take six months to prepare the society whereas Sangh Swayamsevaks can be trained in three days, as Swayamsevaks practise discipline regularly."

The statement also added that there was no comparison drawn between the Indian Army and the Sangh Swayamsevaks, but the comparison was between general society and swayamsevaks, when given the opportunity to be trained by the Indian Army.