BJP to raise Azad's RSS-ISIS remarks in Parliament

NEW DELHI: BJP is set to raise in Parliament tomorrow the controversial remarks made by Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad comparing Hindutva outfit, RSS, with terrorist organisation, ISIS.

Party sources said some members will raise the issue and seek Azad's apology as they insisted that any comparison of RSS with a violent organisation like ISIS was "unacceptable" to them.

That Azad chose an event organised by a Muslim body to attack RSS will be handy for the saffron party, they said, adding that it reflected the "votebank politics" of Congress.

Azad had yesterday kicked a row by seeking to draw a parallel between RSS and ISIS.

"So, we oppose organisations like ISIS, the way we oppose RSS. If those among us in Islam too do wrong things, they are no way less than RSS," he had said at an event organised by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind.

Hitting back, an RSS spokesperson in Nagaur had said such a comparison showed "intellectual bankruptcy" of Congress and its "unwillingness to deal with fundamentalist and cruel forces like ISIS". RSS will consider legal action against Azad, he had said.

BJP too jumped to the defence of its ideological mentor, calling it a nationalist organisation and demanding an apology from Azad.

The party had said it was "unfortunate" that Azad had made such comments and asked Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to disassociate from his remarks and take action against him if he does not withdraw them.