Congress questions monoplisation of patriotism by BJP, RSS

Congress leader Manish Tewari claims none of BJP and RSS leaders gave their life for country, or are fighting terrorism

The Congress party on Sunday questioned the patriotism of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS), saying that none of their prominent leaders gave their life for the country, fighting extremism or terrorism in the country since its independence.

"Not A single Prominent Jan Sangh/RSS/BJP leader fell martyr, fighting terrorism/extremism in India since 47&yet claim monoply over patriotism?" Congress leader Manish Tewari said in a tweet.

The development comes after Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi yesterday accused the NDA government of "suppressing" students' voice as he visited the JNU campus to express solidarity with them, a day after the arrest of its students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar in a sedition case.

Gandhi, who yesterday accused the Modi government of "bullying" the institution, in a scathing attack said "most anti-national are people, who are suppressing the voice of students in this institution".

The president of JNU students union was arrested over an event at the JNU campus against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, sparking massive outrage among students and criticism from non-BJP parties which dubbed it as an "Emergency-like" situation.

Invoking Adolf Hitler, Gandhi said that suppressing voice by the Nazi ruler left Germany in rubbles.

"We do not have problem if RSS and BJP want to express their opinion. We just want to tell them if they will listen to us, they will be convinced by us... they are simply crushing voices," Gandhi said.

Congress vice president's visit was opposed by members of ABVP, who waved black flags when he spoke. Taking note of it, he said, "People who showed black flags on my face, I feel proud that in my country they have the right to show black flags.