Congress, BJP Clash Over Controversial Tweet Featuring Burning Khaki Shorts

Although the tweet didn't name RSS, it was referring to the trademark Khaki shorts worn by the members of the Sangh.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

In a brazen attack against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s ideological ally the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Congress on Monday, 12 September, took to Twitter to post an image of burning pair of Khaki shorts.

This comes in background of the party's ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra.

"To free the country from shackles of hate and undo the damage done by BJP-RSS. Step by step, we will reach our goal," Congress wrote in the post, along with the controversial image which had a caption, "145 days more to go."

Although the tweet didn't name RSS, it was referring to the trademark Khaki shorts worn by the members of the Sangh.

'Congress Trying to Incite Violence Via the Post': BJP

BJP, which was quick to retort, has accused the Congress of instigating violence through the post.

Stating that the "picture is symbolic of Congress politics – of lighting fires in the country. Fires they lit in the past has burnt them in most of India. The remaining embers in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh will also reduce to ashes very soon. Save this tweet," tweeted BJP's Tejasvi Surya.

"Congress fire burnt Delhi in 1984. It’s ecosystem burnt alive 59 karsevaks in Godhra in 2002. They have again given their ecosystem a call for violence. With Rahul Gandhi ‘fighting against Indian State,’ Congress ceases to be political party with faith in constitutional means," Surya wrote in another tweet

Speaking to reporters, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said that the tweet "is nothing but instigating people for violence. It is being done following the directions of the Gandhi family."

Responding to the statements of the BJP leaders, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in a press conference, "Those who stoke fires of hatred, those who stoke the fire of bigotry and prejudice, must be prepared to take some things back in same coin."

"If I were to enumerate the manner in which the BJP and its surrogates have fanned hatred, prejudice, lies and falsehood...The RSS and the BJP are not used to an aggressive response from the Congress. When the Congress gets aggressive, they back off," Ramesh said.

Rahul Gandhi had on Wednesday, 7 September, flagged off Congress's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Gandhi Mandapam in Kanyakumari. The 3,500 km-long yatra will cover 12 locations, from Tamil Nadu to Jammu & Kashmir, in a span of 150 days.

(With inputs from NDTV.)