"Saying all this to make RSS happy, to hold on to his chair": Congress' BR Patil targets PM Modi

Kalaburagi (Karnataka) [India], August 16 (ANI): Congress MLA BR Patil on Saturday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for praising the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in his speech on the 79th Independence Day, and said that the PM was making these statements to please the RSS and cling to power.
Patil further criticised RSS for not contributing to the freedom struggle and not hoisting the national flag at their headquarters for 50 years.
"They have no contribution to the freedom struggle. For 50 years, they did not even hoist the national flag at their office. So, they have no right to say anything about the country and democracy. To make RSS happy, PM Modi is doing this because some people there are also angry with him. Owing to his party's policy, he will have to leave the PM chair after he turns 75. He is saying all this to make RSS happy so that he can hold on to his chair," Patil told ANI.
Earlier in the day, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi hit out at PM Modi for praising the RSS in his Independence Day address, calling it a "great insult" to India's freedom struggle.
Highlighting that RSS never participated in the freedom struggle, Owaisi said that the "cultural organisation" hated freedom fighters more than the Britishers since they used to remain in their "shadows". He argued that RSS has always opposed "inclusive nationalism."
"Prime Minister praising the RSS in his Independence Day speech is a great insult to our freedom struggle because the RSS never participated in the freedom struggle. They used to remain in the shadows of the Britishers. RSS hated the freedom fighters more than the British, including Gandhi. RSS has always opposed inclusive nationalism, which was the basis that freedom fighters fought for the country's independence," Owaisi said while addressing a presser here.
Owaisi further attacked the RSS, saying its Hindutva ideology was against the Constitution. He said it was "wrong" for the Prime Minister to praise an organisation that spreads "hatred" in the country.
It comes after Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi, in his Red Fort address on the 79th Independence Day yesterday, hailed the RSS for completing 100 years of service to the nation, describing it as the "biggest NGO in the world" and praising its century-long contribution to nation-building.
"Today, I would like to proudly mention that 100 years ago, an organisation was born - Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). 100 years of service to the nation is a proud, golden chapter. With the resolve of 'vyakti nirman se rashtra nirman', with the aim of welfare of Maa Bharati, swayamsevaks dedicated their lives to the welfare of our motherland...In a way, RSS is the biggest NGO of the world. It has a history of 100 years of dedication," PM Modi said. (ANI)