RSS, Ramdev, Ravi Shankar engaging in politics: Congress

The Congress Tuesday moved the Election Commission against the RSS, yoga guru Ramdev and Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, saying they have been conducting political activities.

It also urged the panel to keep a close tab on any campaign-related issue.

In a complaint to the poll panel, K. C. Mittal, secretary of Congress' legal and human rights department said that persons and organisations other than BJP "namely, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar have been conducting political activities without being registered as a political party".

The complaint said that the RSS claims to be a social and cultural organisation and also referred to reports about political message at yoga camps held by Ramdev in the capital.

"Unfortunately, all of them are indulging in political activties without following down norms laid down by the poll panel for free and fair elections," the Congress alleged.

The party urged the poll panel to issue instructions so that all activities and movements relating to election campaign were monitored and video-graphed.

It said that any activity to arouse religious feeling to seek votes in the name of religion, caste or community should be booked under the relevant laws.

The Congress said special observers may be deputed to ascertain the actual expenditure incurred by organisations and "saints" indulging in campaigning and it should be added to the account of the respective candidate.