The BJP has demanded an apology from Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad for reportedly comparing RSS to ISIS
Highlights
- Congress leader says remarks taken out of context, BJP demands apology
- By comparing ISIS to RSS, you gave ISIS respectability: Arun Jaitley
- 'BJP considering legal action against Azad', claims Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad waved a CD around in Parliament today after the BJP demanded an apology from him for
reportedly comparing its ideological parent to ISIS.
"I request BJP parliamentarians to go into a room to listen to this CD," said Mr Azad, before reading out the part of his speech about the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh or RSS that has sponsored a political controversy.
Mr Azad, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said his remarks were taken out of context and lost in translation. The Congress has said the BJP's seeking of an apology is an exercise in futility.
"We oppose organizations like ISIS, the way we oppose the RSS. If those among us in Islam also do wrong things, they are in no way less than the RSS," Mr Azad was quoted as saying at a speech on Saturday.
BJP leaders like Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi warned that the party is considering legal action against Mr Azad for his remarks.
"Nothing is a bigger threat to the world currently than ISIS," said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Parliament. "It is using tanks and armies against other religions. It offers instructions on how to rape women. To suggest it is like another organization gives it respectability - this is what you have done, perhaps inadvertently," Mr Jaitley said in admonishment to Mr Azad.
"Have they apologised ever?" said Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury to NDTV. "They have asked Hindu women to give birth to 10 babies (to protect Hinduism). This is advice coming from bachelor boys. The economy is in distress - have they apologised for that?"