Wish they understood Gandhi's nationalism: Cong on RSS chief Bhagwat's remark

The Congress on Friday attacked the BJP and the Sangh Pariwar over RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's remarks, saying if they would have understood Mahatma Gandhi's nationalism then the need for distancing themselves from nationalism would not have arisen.

Bhagwat on Thursday said the word "nationalism" can lend itself to different interpretations and could be equated with "Nazism and fascism" by some.

Addressing an RSS event in Jharkhand capital Ranchi, Bhagwat recalled how a Sangh volunteer advised him against using the word during a visit to the UK.

"Dear Bhagwat ji, today the Sangh Pariwar and the BJP have distanced themselves from nationalism. Now you are saying that nationalism means Hitler's rule and fascism," Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.

"We wish, if the BJP and the Sangh Pariwar would have understood and adopted the nationalism of Gandhi ji, then there would not have been a need to distance themselves from nationalism," he said.

In 2014, the BJP and the RSS came to power on the promise of 'achche din', but by 2019 they turned away from it, Surjewala claimed.

"In 2019, Modi ji, the BJP and the RSS came to power pleading on nationalism, but now you have distanced yourself from nationalism. The country's nationalism is that of Gandhi," he said.

Gandhi's nationalism is inclusive, based on love, it takes all religions and castes along and it united the country, Surjewala said.

"This is real nationalism. I wish Modi ji, the Sangh Parivar and the BJP people could understand nationalism," he said.