RSS should take steps, just talks mean nothing: AAP on Mohan Bhagwat's Manipur remark

Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh responded to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat raising concerns about the Manipur situation, and said the organisation should take positive steps if it can bring about a change, otherwise just talking about the strife-torn state means anything.
    
Singh, who was suspended from Rajya Sabha for part of the Monsoon Session in July 2023 over repeatedly "violating" the directives of the Chair while protesting on the Manipur issue, also wondered why the RSS chief did not caution the BJP about the northeastern state earlier.
    
"Recently (BJP president) J P Nadda said the BJP of Atal Bihari Vajpayee's time required the support of the RSS but the BJP of (PM) Narendra Modi does not need it. I think this is a result of a fight between a mother and a child because Nadda has openly spoken against the RSS and the RSS is also openly speaking against the BJP," Singh told reporters here.
     
"I would like to ask Mohan Bhagwat ji with all humility, I was suspended (Rajya Sabha) as MP over the Manipur case, but when there has been violence there (Manipur) for one year, then the RSS should have earlier itself cautioned the government, raised questions about it. Which it did not do," the AAP leader said.

Also Read: Will PM Modi visit Manipur after RSS chief's remarks, asks Uddhav Thackeray
    
"Second, the prime minister's arrogance is visible everywhere, it's not something hidden from anyone. He (Bhagwat) says a Swayamsevak (RSS volunteer) is not arrogant but the PM is a Swayamsevak, who is not a Swayamsevak (in the BJP)? Everybody identifies themselves as well Swayamsevak," Singh claimed.
    
He also alleged that the prime minister's level of "arrogance" was reflected in the words used by him during poll speeches like "Mughal, madrasa, mutton, macchli, mangalsutra and mujra".
    
"Is this is the language of a prime minister? So if the RSS can bring about a control then it should take some positive steps otherwise I don't think just talking about it (Manipur) would mean anything," Singh said.
    
Manipur plunged into violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities in May last year. Since then around 200 people have been killed, while thousands have been displaced following large-scale arson that has gutted homes and government buildings. Fresh violence has been reported from Jiribam over the past few days.
    
Bhagwat on Monday expressed concern over peace eluding Manipur even after one year and said the situation in the strife-torn northeastern state must be considered with priority.
    
Addressing a gathering of RSS trainees in Nagpur, Bhagwat said conflict in various places and in society is not good.
    
On apparent rift between the BJP and the RSS during polls, Singh said, "When Nadda himself is saying that the BJP does not require RSS's support, I believe this may have ignited a sense of self respect among RSS workers and that's why they may have not supported the BJP in the elections".
    
In the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls, the BJP won 240 seats, down from 303 in 2019 elections. In Uttar Pradesh, the saffron party had won 62 out of the total 80 seats in 2019 but this time its tally came down to 33.