Guwahati: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has filed two police complaints against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his remarks comparing the organisation to a “venomous snake”.
The complaints were lodged at police stations in Dispur and Silchar in Assam on Wednesday.
According to reports, the RSS said Kharge’s statement amounts to a “corrupt electoral practice” under the Representation of the People Act, 1951. It also alleged that the remarks could create tension among different groups.
In the complaint, the complainants said that calling the ideology of the RSS and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) “poisonous” and talking about eliminating it could be seen as provoking people.
Kharge made the remarks on April 6 during an election rally at Nilambazar in Assam. Citing a religious example, he said that if a venomous snake appears, it should be killed even during prayer, and then compared the RSS and BJP to such “venomous snakes”.
“The RSS and the BJP are venomous snakes,” Kharge allegedly said.
The comments drew a strong reaction from the BJP as senior leader Ravi Shankar Prasad demanded an apology and asked whether Congress leaders supported the statement.
He defended the RSS and BJP, calling them patriotic organisations, and said the remarks crossed all limits.