Those attacking Dalits are 'anti-national': RSS

Seconding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on atrocities against Dalits by 'cow vigilantes', RSS ideologue Rakesh Sinha said the right-wing Hindu nationalist group have being doing its best services to integrate Dalit societies into the main stream adding those attacking Dalits are anti-national.

"The Prime Minister has rightly warned those elements who are engaging in violence against Dalits. RSS has been doing its best services to integrate Dalit societies into the main stream, social campaign through philanthropic activities and through creating consciousness in the society," Sinha told ANI.

Talking about the flogging of Dalit youths at Una in Gir Somnath district last month, Sinha reiterated that RSS was first to issue statement after the incident.

"RSS leadership reached Una. There was a big conference in Una in third August organised by RSS. So, those who conduct violence against the Dalits, they are not serving any cause of Hindutva," he added.

He said that those attacking Dalits are disturbing the nationality of the country.

"Anyone who is attacking Dalits, he is not attacking a Dalit, he is attacking the Hindu society. Those who are engaged in violence against Dalits, they are anti-Hindu. They are anti-Hindutva, they are anti-national. They are disturbing the nationality of the country. With Dalit, the Hindu society cannot be imagined," he said.

He, however, asserted that there should be a social campaign, convincing people and letting them realize that cow protection is there moral, spiritual and democratic duty.

He remained of the opinion that states are not doing their moral duty to prevent the cow slaughters.

"There are 30, 000 illegal cow slaughters houses in this country. At the same time while campaigning for the cow slaughter as RSS has been emphasizing right from the beginning that anti-cow slaughter movement should be a democratic movement, non-violent movement," he added.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi addressing a public rally in Hyderabad on Sunday expressed concern over the recent attacks on people from Dalit community and urged the opponents to stop politicising in the name of Dalit.

He also asked the assaulters to attack him instead of Dalits.

His remarks come at a time when questions are being raised on his silence amid the spate of recent attacks on Dalits in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.