No RSS member went to prison during freedom struggle: JD(U)

Hitting back at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his remark that if not for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) then Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and West Bengal would have been a part of Pakistan, the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) on Sunday asserted that the organisation had never contributed to the freedom struggle and served the Britishers.

Talking to ANI, JD (U) leader Neeraj Kumar appealed to the Chief Minister not to talk about the history of RSS, as its only history was serving the Britisher rulers.

"Everyone knows what exactly the history of the RSS was. They used to work for the British and that is why not even one RSS member was in jail during the freedom moment," he added.

Another JD (U) leader Pavan Verma said Adityanath would be better off confining himself to trying to enforce law and order in UP at the moment, where innocent people are being beaten up under his regime.

"I think Mr. Yogi Adityanath ji would be better off confining himself to trying to enforce some semblance of law and order in UP at the moment, where innocent people are being beaten under his regime. The Anti-romeo squad and the Bajrag Dal are going beyond control. He should focus on all this rather than the RSS. Everyone knows that RSS was not involved in India's freedom struggle," he added.

Meanwhile, Defending Adityanath, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the statement was only a sentiment echoed by all.

"What Yogi Adityanath is saying is only a sentiment that is echoed by all. The RSS is the largest nationalistic organization in this country and in this world, which believes in the united India where we assimilate, we respect and we co-exists with others," BJP leader Shaina NC told ANI.

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister was responding to the charges levelled by the opposition parties that his government was "concentrating" on issues of 'Gai, Ganga and Gau Raksha' on the instructions of RSS, which did not participate in the freedom struggle.

"Agar RSS aur Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee na hote to West Bengal, Punjab aur Kashmir. Pakistan ke kabje mei hote (Had RSS and Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee not been there, West Bengal, Punjab and Kashmir would have been under control of Pakistan)," Yogi Adityanath said.

He further added that RSS is the only organisation in the world which does not take any help from the government and works selflessly through its swayamsewaks and pracharaks for the country and culture.

Adityanath was addressing the last meeting of the first UP assembly session, where he was gheraoed by the Opposition parties over a myriad of issues dominated by concerns related to law and order situation in the state.