Senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar condemns Haridwar Dharma Sansad hate speech

New Delhi: Senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Indresh Kumar has condemned the alleged hate speeches against minorities at a recent Dharma Sansad in Haridwar and said all those who make provocative and divisive remarks should be punished as per law without any exception.

Kumar also criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recent remarks that a 'Hindutvawadi' had shot Mahatma Gandhi dead. "Now, he says Hindutvawadis got Gandhi killed. It is also a hate speech, the RSS leader said without naming Rahul Gandhi.

The RSS national executive member termed the "politics of hate" as "corruption" and called all political parties and their leaders to refrain from indulging in hate-mongering and pitting one section of the society against the other.

Instead of making provocative and divisive remarks against any community, caste or group, they should practice "politics of brotherhood and development" in the best interest of the country and its people, he said.

"Any kind of hate speech is condemnable. All hate speeches must be condemned and punished as per law. Nobody should be treated as an exception," the RSS leader said when asked about his view on the alleged hate speeches delivered at a Dharma Sansad in Uttarakhand's Haridwar and a similar event in Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur recently.

Kumar said there are multiple examples of "cruel" hate speeches and insisted that it is the need of the hour to take legal action against all such divisive acts as they vitiate the atmosphere of the country.

"Aaj desh aisi jagah hai, jaise lagta hai ki har samay bas lado aur tooto...Ye toh thik nahin hain. (The country has reached such a point where its always seems like fight-and-divide atmosphere....This is not right)," he said.

He slammed the Congress and other opposition parties for blaming the RSS and its ideology for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, saying they were levelling baseless allegations "even as they do not have any proof" to substantiate their charge. Their "baseless and unfounded" allegations against the RSS also amount to "a cruel" hate speech, he charged and asked why no action had been taken against them so far.

He argued that unfounded allegations that create hatred against one section of people or an organization should also be considered as "hate speeches".

"All hate speeches should be looked at through the same prism. We cannot make a distinction between one set of action or speech with the other while both are same in their nature and essence hateful, provocative and divisive, he said.

"Action should be taken against all those who deliver hate speeches, no matter how big and influential they are or which party or group they belong to. It is the need of the hour, he added.

The RSS leader said there can be differences of opinion in a democracy but there should not be "differences in heart." "During elections, creation of division in society on the lines of caste and religion, hate-mongering, provoking people against each other, is corrupt politics. In electoral politics, parties level allegations against each other. If such things are not done, a kind of politics that takes everybody along for everybody's development will emerge along with an atmosphere of brotherhood in the country," he added.

Kumar is also the founder of the Sangh's affiliate Muslim Rashtriya Manch whose stated objective is to bring Muslims closer to Hindus. To reach out to the Christian community, he founded another outfit, Christian Rashtriya Manch, a few years ago on the lines of the RSS' Muslim wing.

Ahead of the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, both the RSS-backed outfits are canvassing for the BJP in the poll-bound states.