Arjun flays Sudarshan for Nagpur speech

Arjun flays Sudarshan for Nagpur speech
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI, OCT 9: The Congress today came down heavily on RSS chief K S Sudarshan's speech in Nagpur, charging him with trying to create a sense of alienation and apprehension in the minds of the minorities through a systematic and concerted propaganda.

``Sudarshan's speech is a clear and blatant infringement of the constitutional guarantee to every citizen of India to practise and preach the religion of his choice in the manner and mode in which he chooses,'' Senior Congress leader Arjun Singh told reporters today.

In the traditional RSS speech on Dussehra, Sudarshan had said that the concept of ``Islamic Millat'' had proved to be unfruitful and that Indian Muslims should indianise their religion and link it with this land and its ancestors. He had also asserted that foreign churches which did not believe in equality of religions should be evicted from the country and that a `Swadeshi Church' on the lines of China should be established by the Indian Christians.

Condemning Sudarshan's speech, Arjun Singh said the Muslim community is second to none in protecting the secular fabric of the country and that ``it is most unfortunate that the RSS now tries to set conditions for accepting their nationalistic credentials.''

``This is a sinister attempt to create suspicion and misgivings about our Muslim brothers and sisters. Such an attempt has to be condemned strongly,'' he said. Singh, who is chairman of the party's minority cell, also felt that Christian missionaries have been working in various spheres, particularly in the field of Education, Health and Social development.

``The Christians have made immense contribution towards development of our country. No one can question their patriotism,'' he said, adding that such an indiscreet and irresponsible statement will only help the forces which are already trying to destroy the secular credentials of our country.