For 'Akhand Bharat', BJP needs to have heart transplant: Congress

NEW DELHI: Congress today took a dig at BJP over its leader Ram Madhav's remarks on the concept of ' Akhand Bharat', saying given the condition of minorities in the country, the party would need a "heart transplant" to achieve that lofty goal.

"It's a brilliant idea. It should happen. He talked about it in future terms, but presently a grim situation is going on in the country. The economy is in bad shape and security of women, the dalits, the minorities. These are things which need to be addressed and you have a problem with minorities in India," Congress spokesperson Tom Vadakkan alleged.

The Congress leader said his party welcomed the concept of 'Akhand Bharat', but what the former RSS spokesperson has talked about is of the future scenario.

"The thought process is good, but the 'karam' (action) they have been practicing in India needs to be restrained. The word intolerance must move out of our dictionaries. Just going to birthday party of the counterpart of Pakistan does not mean that you have given up intolerance.

"It has to stop by motormouths and if you are thinking in terms of 'Akhand Bharat' then you need to have a large heart, and it needs a heart transplant," Vadakkan said.

Madhav, the party's general secretary had said that RSS believes that India, Pakistan and Bangladesh will one day reunite again not by war but through "popular goodwill", but BJP today played down his remarks, saying while he has a right to his own views, the party and the government are clear that India and Pakistan are two sovereign nations.