Government, Congress lock horns in Rajya Sabha over RSS, B R Ambedkar

NEW DELHI: The government and Congress were today engaged in an animated discussion in Rajya Sabha over the role of RSS in freedom struggle as that of B R Ambedkar in the post-independence era.

"Former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had praised the role of RSS during the Indo-Pak war. Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi had praised it after visiting an RSS camp," Home Minister Rajnath Singh said while replying to a debate on working of Ministry of Home Affairs.

He said the outfit was allowed to participate in Independence Day parade in its uniform.

Singh also said that Ambedkar was defeated by Congress in 1952 election in which the then Prime Minister Nehru himself campaigned for his defeat.

Earlier, Leader of the Opposition in the House, Ghulam Nabi Azad said it was unfortunate that BJP talked of "Congress-mukt Bharat" whereas Congress was a historic party which had given nation leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and country's first Law Minister B R Ambedkar.

Azad said Ambedkar was elected to the Constituent Assembly with the support of Congress Party, to which Singh said, he was not talking of Constituent Assembly but Lok Sabha elections of 1952.

Singh also said that 'Congress-mukt Bharat' meant a government without Congress, adding it was not true that only those belonging to Congress had participated in independence struggle.

"Mahatma Gandhi had also suggested that Congress should be dissolved. Those in Congress did not remain in the party only," he said.