BJP-RSS meet 'mockery' of Constitution, says AAP

Aam Aadmi Party today questioned the RSS-BJP meet saying it amounted to "mockery" of the Constitution, and condemned a section of the right wing for attacking Vice President Hamid Ansari over his pitch for "affirmative action" for Muslims.
Senior AAP leader Ashutosh said the meeting involving top Union Ministers, BJP leaders with RSS and its affiliates was indicative of the saffron outfit's "interference" in the political process.
"The meeting between Narendra Modi government and RSS is highly questionable. The government is accountable and answerable only to the public. Such a deliberation is a mockery of the constitutional arrangements and parliamentary democracy," Ashutosh said at a press conference.

This is a "clear interference" of the RSS in mainstream politics, which the organisation had promised to stay away from in the past, he added.
He urged Modi to ensure that Ansari does not have to face "vitriol" from BJP, RSS and its affiliates, saying similar attacks were mounted on him in the past as well referring to the row over BJP leader Ram Madhav's tweets on the VP.
"The Prime Minister should ensure that no such act is repeated as Vice President Ansari holds the second most highest post of the country. Modi should rein them in," Ashutosh said.

Meanwhile, the party's Delhi chief Dilip Pandey accused the state BJP of resorting to falsehood and misleading advertisements over onion prices in the capital and claimed that the AAP government had tackled the issue well.

"Satish Upadhyay (state BJP President) should answer as to why the Centre is not selling onion at Rs 20 per kg at Safal outlets instead of asking us? And if they have onion at cheaper prices available with them why are they not communicating it to the government directly?" Pandey asked.
Top ministers and BJP leaders joined a crucial three-day meeting of RSS and its affiliates that began here today to brainstorm over key social and economic issues including those confronting the Modi government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to attend the coordination meet while BJP chief Amit Shah will be present there for the better part of the exercise in which issues like census figures, OROP, Patel agitation in Gujarat, land bill, labour reforms and education policy are likely to be discussed.