No RSS invite for Rahul Gandhi yet, appropriate reply will be given once received: Congress

Congress president Rahul Gandhi is expected to be invited by the RSS for a three-day lecture series from September 17-19.

The Congress has said that party president Rahul Gandhi is yet to get any invitation for an event of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the national capital. When asked about reports of the RSS inviting the Gandhi scion, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said on Monday that the party would respond only when it gets the invitation from the right-wing group.

"I do not answer hypothetical, speculative questions...This is purely imaginary at the moment. I have said to you categorically upon checking that we have received no invitation as I speak," said the Congress leader.

"As and when we receive an invitation, the Congress party receives an invitation, there will be an appropriate (and) proper response and you all will be shared with that response," he added.

The Congress president is expected to be invited by the RSS for a three-day lecture series from September 17-19. The series has been titled – ‘Future of Bharat: An RSS’ perspective’. Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury is also likely to be invited for the event.

During the three-day lecture series, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is slated to interact with intellectuals and political leaders. According to reports, the idea is to invite people from different ideologies for the event.

Talking about the event, RSS prachar pramukh Arun Kumar had said that it was for the first time that the right-wing group was organising a lecture series by its chief Mohan Bhagwat.

Kumar said people across the country wanted to know and associate with the RSS. "This lecture series has been organised in this context... Sarsanghchalak (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwatji will present the Sangh views on various contemporary issues of national importance," he said.

This comes shortly after Rahul Gandhi equated the RSS with Muslim brotherhood in the Arab World, accusing the right-wing group of trying to change the nature of India capture its institutions. He made the remark while speaking at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London.