Tarun Vijay's statement exposes RSS' fascist ideology: CPI

Dubbing senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Tarun Vijay's statement as 'deplorable,' the Communist Party of India (CPI) on Saturday said it exposes the fascist ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Demanding an apology from Vijay over his 'condemnable' statement, CPI leader D. Raja said the BJP should denounce such remark.

"It is a deplorable statement coming from a BJP leader. It is shameful that BJP leaders are speaking in such language. It shows what RSS means, what it stands for. RSS ideology stands exposed as fascist ideology. Tarun Vijay's statement's on racism is nothing but part of RSS fascist ideology. Tarun Vijay should apologise and should regret for what he has spoken. BJP should come out denouncing such absurd, condemnable statement. I strongly condemn this statement," Raja told ANI.

The Congress party also condemned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tarun Vijay's reported 'racist' comments about South Indians in a video that went viral.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge told ANI, "I condemn such statements. This is the reason we have been maintaining that it is the tendency and philosophy of the BJP leaders that they even discriminate Indians. They even create hurdles in our bilateral relations with those countries with which we want to have cordial relations."

However, Vijay took to Twitter yesterday to clear the air about his remarks on racism and South Indians.

"Feel bad, really feel sorry, my apologies to those who feel i said different than what I meant," tweeted Tarun Vijay.

Vijay found himself in the middle of a storm as he tried to defend India after recent attacks on African students in Greater Noida.

He reportedly told news channel Al Jazeera's online show The Stream: "If we were racist, why would we have the entire entire south.Tamil, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra.why do we live with them? We have black people around us," the politician was heard as saying in the video.

Vijay was cornered as the video went viral. People on social media platforms reacted very sharply over his reported remarks about South Indians.