‘Discipline of RSS is as good as that of LeT’

Having got into trouble for praising Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Aam Aadmi Party candidate against Rahul Gandhi from Amethi (in Uttar Pradesh) Kumar Vishwas Monday said the Hindu nationalist group’s discipline was as ‘good’ as that of militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Earlier this month, the 44-year-old AAP leader had praised RSS as a ‘disciplined force’ and asked ‘if an organisation speaks in favour of a larger majority, does it mean it is communal’. However, the remarks did not go down well with Muslims who demanded his expulsion from the party.

Vishwas said, ‘I have said RSS’ discipline is very good. The discipline of Lashkar-e-Taiba is also very good, people are ready to die. Learn discipline from (them)...Do not learn Hindu Rashtravad from them.’ Adding further, he said he believed that taking the good things from all streams but disagreed with the RSS view of Hindu Rashtra.

Up against two formidable opponents - Rahul and BJP’s Smriti Irani, Vishwas is facing a daunting task to wrest this ‘family pocket borough’ from Congress and the fact that no big leader from his party has campaigned for him so far in the high-profile constituency which is going to polls on May 7.

Asked why no big leaders have campaigned here for him, he said, ‘When I take up a challenge, I do not think who will follow me... On April 15, I will file nomination after a 14- km foot march. Those who want to join me can come with me.’ 

He said so far he has worked in this constituency on his own strength. ‘The party was busy elsewhere and I was told that I should tell them whenever I required them. Now I have told them and Arvind Kejriwal, Shazia Ilmi, Manish Sisodia will come here.’ AAP leader Rajmohan Gandhi will also campaign for three days from May 3. The poet-turned-politician, Vishwas also alleged a ‘deal’ between BJP and Congress and attacked them for ‘practising politics of comfort zone’. ‘She (Irani) was sent here under a deal. A deal has been struck between Congress and BJP under which BJP will be given advantage in Varanasi, the Lok Sabha seat of Narendra Modi, and Congress in Amethi. Politics of comfort zone is being practiced by all parties,’ he alleged.

And also ‘one will not speak against Ranjan Bhattacharya (Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s foster son-in-law) and the other will not speak against Robert Vadra (Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law). Congress candidate from Vidisha fails to reach there to file nomination against BJP’s Sushma Swaraj. ,’ he further claimed.