Petition filed in US court to designate RSS as terror group

NEW YORK: A Sikh rights group has filed a lawsuit asking a US court here to designate RSS as a "foreign terrorist organisation".

The federal court in the Southern District of New York issued summons for US Secretary of State John Kerry to respond to the suit within 60 days.

Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) in the declaratory lawsuit asked the court to designate Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a foreign terrorist organisation, accusing it of "believing in and practicing a fascist ideology and running a passionate, vicious and violent campaign to turn India into a 'Hindu' nation with a homogeneous religious and cultural identity."

SFJ said the RSS is making headlines for its campaign "'The Home Coming' to forcibly convert Christians and Muslims to Hindus."

The declaratory lawsuit requests the court that "RSS along with its affiliates and subsidiaries be designated as Foreign Terrorist Organisation... and designate RSS as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity (SDGT)".

Accusing the RSS of targeting minorities, the petition alleged RSS involvement in the "demolition of Babri Masjid", "instigating" army operation in Golden Temple, "burning of Churches and rape of Christian nuns" in 2008 and the Gujarat riots in 2002.