'Congress party empowered RSS': CPI(M) MP John Brittas hits back at Rahul Gandhi for equating CPI(M) to RSS

New Delhi [India], July 19 (ANI): Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP John Brittas on Saturday hit back at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for equating the CPI(M) to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and said that Congress' vacillations have empowered the RSS.
Speaking to ANI, Brittas said that the CPI(M) is steadfast in its mission to fight the RSS.
He said, "Rahul Gandhi's statement equating CPI(M) with RSS is unfortunate. Any sensible political being of this country would condemn such a statement. We have been steadfast in our mission to fight RSS tooth and nail. And Rahul Gandhi's cause should be to take on RSS."
Attacking Congress for the demolition of Babri Masjid, he said, "He shouldn't compel us to say about the vacillations done by the Congress party, who opened the gates of Babri Masjid, who facilitated the demolition of Babri Masjid, who tried to take the credit of the demolition. The vacillations of Congress's party have resulted in empowering, enriching RSS, and we don't want to have a sermon from Rahul Gandhi as to how to take on RSS."
He urged Rahul Gandhi not to be "misguided" by Kerala Congress members and make such "reckless and irresponsible" remarks.
"Since we need to be together in the Parliament because the Monsoon Session is beginning, I don't want to say more about it. But I would at least expect the Congress leader to see the larger picture. He shouldn't be misguided by his colleagues in the Kerala Congress. He should see the larger picture of national politics before making such reckless, irresponsible statements," Brittas told ANI.
When asked about a rift in the INDIA bloc, he added that such remarks affect the unity of the alliance.
"Naturally, it will have an effect on the unity of the secular forces. We have been exhorting Congress to ensure that all parties opposing the BJP should be brought together. In Kerala, of course, we will fight against Congress," he said.
Citing the left parties' support to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he said that Rahul Gandhi should understand that the Left supported Congress to tackle their ideological opponent RSS.
The CPI(M) MP said, "He should at least think that in 2004, the left parties supported Manmohan Singh to keep the BJP away from power. What was the cause of the left parties to support the Congress party? All our MPs had come, defeating the Congress candidates, but we didn't even think twice. When we were estimating our support to the Congress party, our mission was to redeem this country from the RSS clutches, but we feel that Rahul Gandhi and his team are not at all focused on their fight."
The row began as earlier on Friday, addressing a public meeting in Kottayam, LoP Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi said, "I fight the RSS and Communist Party of India (Marxist) ideologically and I fight them in the realm of ideas. My biggest complaint with them is that they don't have feelings for people. You can give whatever speeches, if you don't feel for people, you are not ready to connect and hug people, you will not be a leader." (ANI)