Eminent Congress member Ghulam Nabi Azad denied comparing RSS to ISIS in the Parliament today. In fact he even waved a CD with the speech recording as proof of his statement and accused BJP of creating political controversy by asking Congress to issue apology for the alleged statement.
Like any sane thinking individual without any political interest, the first course of action on hearing this clarification was, ‘Oh Really! What exactly did he say then? Was it really a chance remark that’s being used to feed fodder to a controversy? Well here is the excerpt that created controversy:
“The fight is not about Hindu and Muslim. It is a fight of perspectives… We are against the narrow fundamentalist mindset, whether it is of a Hindu, Sikh or Muslim. We oppose and reject the forces that are destroying the Muslim nations. We protest against ISIS-type of forces in the same measure as we protest against oppose outfits like RSS.”
Well though I am not a believer of any kind of radical perspective based on religious ideology, I have a problem with the core statement which strives to bring RSS and ISIS on the same platform. Not because it puts RSS in any evil light but by doing so we are trying to reduce the inhumane and heinous crimes that the ISIS is committing as mere radical perspective. The large chunk of Western Asia is under the grip of the ISIS violence, millions of innocent lives have been claimed, many million rendered homeless and innumerable children are scarred for life as a result of the huge amount of atrocities that are being committed by these radical Islamist jihadists including ISIS, Taliban and the like.
Also by comparing them to small political outfit with politically radical or right winged organisation like the RSS often dilutes the public perception of the crimes committed by them. Surprisingly this is nothing new in India. Despite our innumerable claims of a secular social constructs, politicians of every hue and colour have tried to fan communal difference to score individual vote bank glory and Ghulam Nabi Azad’s recent speech is perhaps at its devious best in achieving this end.
Perhaps this simple fact also highlights Congress Party’s desperation along with the Left to remain relevant on the National platform at any cost even if they have to sacrifice the national interest! Therefore my appeal to all free thinking citizens of our secular country to look beyond what the politician’s care to show us and make decisions on our own.
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