The RSS slammed Rahul Gandhi for his "not Hindus" jibe at the ruling BJP in the Lok Sabha on Monday and said it was "unfortunate" that the leader of opposition linked Hindutva with violence.
Reacting to the Congress leader's remarks, senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary Sunil Ambekar said, "People occupying important positions linking Hindutva with violence is unfortunate." "Whether it is the Hindutva of (Swami) Vivekananda or (Mahatma) Gandhi, it is a symbol of harmony and brotherhood," he added.
Ambekar heads the all-India publicity department of the RSS.
Launching a no-holds-barred attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha, Mr Gandhi said the leaders of the saffron party are not Hindus as they engage in "violence and hate" round the clock.
His remarks drew massive protests from the treasury benches, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing the Congress leader of calling the entire Hindu community violent.
Mr Gandhi, however, hit back at Modi, saying he was speaking about the BJP and that neither the ruling party nor the RSS nor PM Modi represents the entire Hindu society.
Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) president Alok Kumar also condemned Mr Gandhi's remarks and said if the Congress leader thinks his party will get votes by "cornering and insulting" Hindus, he must remember that it is still way behind the BJP in terms of seats won in the Lok Sabha.
"He (Gandhi) should remember that the Congress could get just 99 seats out of 542 (in the just-concluded polls) and it is still way behind its competitor," Mr Kumar said in a video message.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
"Overcrowding": Eyewitnesses Recount Hathras 'Satsang' Stampede
Nobody Can Expect To Escape: Kiren Rijiju On Notice Against Rahul Gandhi In Lok Sabha Agniveer's Family Was Paid Rs 98 Lakh: Army After Rahul Gandhi's Claim "You Can't Stop Gandhi": Uddhav Thackeray's Party Praises Rahul Gandhi's Speech Agniveer's Family Was Paid Rs 98 Lakh: Army After Rahul Gandhi's Claim Rishi Sunak 2.0 Or Return Of Labour? UK Votes In Historic Polls Today Cabinet Panels Named, BJP Allies Get Highest Representation Since 2014 "Indian Army Committed To Welfare Of Agniveers," Says Rajnath Singh Biden "Absolutely Not" Pulling Out Of US Presidential Race: White House 9 In 10 Gazans Displaced Since War Began: UN Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.