Cowardice at heart of RSS-BJP ideology: Rahul Gandhi in Colombia

Referring to a 2023 statement by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar about China, the Congress Member of Parliament (MP) said the RSS' ideology revolves around "beating up weak people" while avoiding those who are stronger.

"This is the nature of BJP-RSS. If you notice a statement of the foreign minister, he said, 'China is much more powerful than us. How can I pick a fight with them?' At the heart of the ideology is cowardice," he said during an event at EIA University, Colombia.

Gandhi also cited an incident from Vinayak Damodar Savarkar's book, in which the Hindutva ideologue reportedly wrote: "He and his friends beat up a Muslim man and felt happy about it."

"In his book, Savarkar has written that once he and his few friends beat up a Muslim man, and they felt very happy that day. If five people beat up a single individual, which makes one of them happy, it is cowardice. This is RSS ideology, to beat weak people," added Gandhi.

The Congress leader also criticised the Narendra Modi government, stating that India’s democracy faces its biggest challenge today. He pointed to "structural flaws" and stressed that the country’s diverse traditions must be allowed to flourish, reported ANI.

"India has strong capabilities in areas like engineering and healthcare, so I am very optimistic about the country. But at the same time, there are also flaws in the structure that India has to correct. The biggest challenge is the attack on democracy taking place in India," Gandhi said.

He emphasised that the democratic system is crucial for protecting diversity, allowing different traditions, customs, ideas, and religions to thrive. However, Gandhi warned that this system is under threat, posing a "major risk," reported ANI.

"India has multiple religions, traditions, and languages — in fact, the country is essentially a conversation between all these people and cultures. Different traditions, religions, and ideas require space, and the best method for creating that space is the democratic system," Gandhi said.

"Currently, there is a wholesale attack on this democratic system, and that is a major risk. Another big risk is the tension between different conceptions in parts of the country. With 16-17 major languages and many religions, it is crucial to allow these diverse traditions to thrive and give them the space they need," he added.

(With ANI inputs)

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