Shivraj Chouhan vs Congress Veteran On Government Staff Supporting RSS

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress in Madhya Pradesh were engaged in a verbal tussle on Monday after a leader from the opposition party allegedly threatened to prepare a list of government staffers who attend Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh shakhas so as to "fix them".

After former Union leader and Congress veteran Kantilal Bhuria issued the threat, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan hit back, saying "Several persons who have had this wish have come and gone".

Mr Bhuria, speaking to reporters on Sunday, said a list of employees who work for the government during the day and attend RSS shakhas at night will be prepared.

"It is wrong to do so when you are a government official or staffer. You (media) too should expose such people so that we can fix (take action) them," Mr Bhuria said.

Asked about the statement, Chief Minister Chouhan said, "Kantilal ji, several people with this wish have come and gone. The RSS is an organisation of patriots. Such a process of personality building has started through this organisation that lakhs of volunteers are ready to live and die for the country." Slamming the use of terms like "fix them", Mr Chouhan said those being threatened in this way are also human beings and must not be insulted.

"The public will give a befitting reply to such persons (who issue threats). The Congress' frustration is not understandable," he asserted.

Assembly polls are likely to be held at the end of this year.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)