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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took fresh aim at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) while speaking at an event organised by London-based think tank Chatham House on Monday, 6 March.
Off the cuff: "The nature of the democratic contest in India has completely changed and the reason is that one organisation called RSS," Gandhi said in response to a question about why he undertook the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'.
"It [RSS] is a fundamentalist and fascist organisation that has basically captured pretty much all of India's institutions," he added.
The RSS is built along the lines of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Lok Sabha MP further said.
Furthermore, when asked how his views differ from that of the BJP's about Pakistan, Gandhi said:
"My personal view is that it's important to have good relations with everybody around us."
Yes, but: "That also depends on the actions of the Pakistanis. If the Pakistanis are promoting terrorism in India, then that becomes very difficult to do, and that does happen," Gandhi added.
Strike back: The BJP quickly struck back at Gandhi and accused him of defaming India abroad.
Senior leader Ravi Shankar Prasad tore into the Congress MP and said, "You forget all Parliamentary norms, political propriety, shame, everything. He is saying that we don't let him speak."
Prasad added, "He travelled across the country during his Yatra, spoke everywhere. He spoke in Parliament against an industrial institution, made such nasty remarks on the Prime Minister. Didn't he get to speak?"
The BJP also said that the Congress was "losing in India and flying abroad," pointing to the BJP's victories in the recently concluded elections in three Northeastern states
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