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BJP decision to move EC is result of fear of discovery: Sibal

March 10, 2014 16:38 IST

As the BJP moved the EC against Rahul Gandhi over his remarks linking Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to Mahatma Gandhi's killing, Union Minister Kapil Sibal on Monday hit out at the opposition party saying their reaction is a result of the "fear of discovery".

"They also don't want anyone to remind the country that the RSS was banned for anti-national activities and that Nathuram Godse was an RSS man steeped in the ideology of intolerance and right-wing fascism.

"So when Rahul Gandhi rightly points this out, they react -- more out of the fear of discovery, than out of defending the truth," he said.

The Law Minister said the "undeniable truth" is that Godse wasn't just a member of the RSS, he was an intellectual leader of the group. He said the late Morarji Desai has mentioned this point in his book.

Accusing Rahul Gandhi and Congress of flouting the model code of conduct, BJP on Sunday complained to the EC over his remarks linking RSS to Mahatma Gandhi's killing and sought action against the Congress Vice-President and derecognition of the party.

"Now the BJP is in a quandary, and therefore, in denial mode. If they accept this truth, they get exposed as backed by an organisation whose ideology led to the assassination of the father of our nation. If they deny it, they lose the support of the communal forces they build their voter base on," Sibal said.

The senior Congress leader also took a dig at the row within BJP over selection of seats for Narendra Modi and Rajnath Singh.

"...but then again, hiding the truth is a habit of the BJP. We're reading stories about how several senior BJP members are upset with the way Modi is sidelining them, and taking actions in his own interests. Despite the (deliberate?) leaks, the party is in public denial mode on this," Sibal wrote on his website.

He said though the issue is BJP's internal problem, "it's also a national problem. If the same Modi who wants to lead India has sidelined those who promoted him in his own party; what's to stop him from putting his own interests, ahead of the nation?"

Image: RSS workers at a national camp

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