Kerala PCC chief K Sudhakaran on Wednesday landed in a controversy by saying that he had sent his men to "give protection" to RSS shakhas when he was part of the Congress (Organisation) decades ago and the right-wing outfit also has all rights to function in a democratic country.
While speaking at a function in Kannur district, the leader said the CPI(M) had tried to destroy the shakhas when it had been launched in places like Edakkad, Thottada and Kizhunna here and he had sent people to "protect" it from being destroyed by the Left cadres.
"While I was part of Congress (Organisation), there was a time when the CPI(M) had tried to destroy the RSS shakhas launched in places like Edakkad, Thottada and Kizhunna. There was a situation prevailing in those places that shakhas could not be operated. I was the person who had sent people to give protection to the shakhas in these places," he said.
Congress (Organisation) came into being after the 1969 split of the Congress party. The Congress (O) later merged with the Janata Party.
However, Sudhakaran made it clear that he had done this not because of any affiliation towards the right-wing outfits and its shakhas but out of feeling that it was not appropriate for a democratic believer to be silent when the democratic rights were being destroyed in a place where fundamental rights were prevailing.
The KPCC chief, who is known for his fight against the Marxist party in Kannur known as a CPI(M) bastion, also said freedom of expression and political liberty were the birth rights of every individual and it should be protected.
When the statements triggered a controversy, Sudhakaran later came up with an explanation saying that his act was to protect democracy and all parties have the right to function in the country.
"Doesn't the RSS have the right to function? Is it a banned outfit? What is wrong in my statement? I was keeping away from the Congress party that time and was part of Congress (Organisation). Policy-wise, that party was close to BJP in Indian politics at that time," he said.
The KPCC chief also said his act was an attempt to counter the anti-democratic deeds of the Marxist party.
Meanwhile, the ruling CPI(M) said the statement by Sudhakaran was not surprising and the Congress and the RSS had been working closely in the politically-volatile district since 1969.
When his reaction was sought on the controversy, party state secretary M V Govindan said Sudhakaran's stance that he would join BJP if he felt like that was his democratic right.
It was the Congress which should take the statement seriously and people are watching all these things, he said.
Govindan also accused the Congress of adopting a "soft Hindutva" stance along with the BJP which takes an "extreme Hindutva" stand.
