BJP Complains To Election Commission Against Outfit Misusing RSS' Name

 The BJP on Monday alleged that an organisation linked to Congress leaders was misusing RSS' name to push propaganda against the ruling party in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls and urged the Election Commission to take "strict action" against them.

A delegation of BJP leaders including its national organisation secretary Arun Singh, Sanjay Mayukh and Om Pathak approached the poll panel and submitted a complaint in this connection, demanding that an FIR be lodged against the "fake" organisation and a notice be issued to the Congress.

There was no immediate reaction from the Congress on the allegation.

Mr Singh told reporters that the outfit has been trying to mislead the people by unlawfully using the name of the RSS to create confusion even though the Supreme Court has also dismissed its petition challenging the Assistant Registrar of Societies' decision to not register it under the name and style of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh which was already registered since 1925.

"The fake organisation has been floated in the name of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) at the behest of the Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi to create confusion and mislead people of the country," Mr Singh said after meeting the Election Commission officials.

He alleged that the Congress' Seva Dal chief heads this "fake" organisation.

Mr Singh said the outfit is reaching out to people telling them that they should ensure the defeat of the BJP.

"Using the name of the RSS, this organisation is pushing the same narrative that Rahul Gandhi has been trying to build. They are posting on X messages like 'Constitution is under threat', 'the BJPs 400 paar slogan is an illusion, the BJP has to be defeated'. And those from the Congress are reposting them," he charged.

"We urged the Election Commission to take strict action against them and lodge an FIR against such people. Their social media posts should also be removed," the BJP leader told reporters.

Mr Singh said that the BJP delegation also urged the EC to issue a notice to the Congress in the matter so that such "fake organisations" and their social media posts are not promoted to create confusion and mislead people in the run of to elections.

"It's a gross violation of the model code of conduct. We have requested the EC to take strict action," the BJP leader added.

In its memorandum to EC, the ruling BJP said that a "viral video" pledging support to the opposition's INDIA bloc and its constituent Congress was uploaded on the YouTube channel,´Aawaz India', on March 24 with the title "RSS supports Congress, creates uproar across the country; PC (Press Conference) of RSS Chief Janardan Moon, Abdul Pasha".

This "propaganda video" was shared by Rahul Kajal, a member of the Congress, on his X' account along with the post, it said, adding that Lalji Desai, chief organiser of the Congress Seva Dal posted the video on March 26 on X' with a caption 'Desh aur samvidhaan ko bachana hai, Modi ko hatana hai: RSS'.

The BJP urged the EC to direct the Congress and its Seva Dal to tender a "public apology" on all social media platforms. It also urged the poll panel to direct the Congress to take down all the related posts and videos from all social platforms and suspend the Congress Seval Dal's social media accounts.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)