Sangh leader Kundan Chandravat, who made a controversial statement against Kerala CM in Ujjain, retracted his comment, but not before he was relieved of his responsibilities by the RSS on Friday.
Earlier on Thursday, he had blamed Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for the alleged murder of 300 Sangh workers in the state, and announced a bounty of Rs 1 crore on the CM’s head.
Addressing a programme in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain, Sangh-Prachar Pramukh Kundan Chandrawat accused the Left-ruled government in Kerala of planning attacks on those working for the saffron outfit. He also sought to ‘remind’ the Kerala government of carnage in Gujarat that followed the Godhra train burning.
They killed 56, we sent 2,000 to the graveyard.Kundan Chandrawat, RSS Leader
He said he gave the statement in his personal capacity, and not as a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh member.
Chandrawat equated his action to throwing a bomb on the floor of the Parliament House’s Central Assembly Hall by Shaheed Bhagat Singh and BK Dutt in 1929 and said there were people who were harming the country at present with their ideology.
Earlier, the RSS leader told the media in the Madhya Pradesh city, "the Leftist government of Kerala is murdering democracy. Those participating in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh camps are being murdered."
During a protest event held at Ujjain on Wednesday, Chandrawat said:
The Hindus no more have the zeal of Shivaji Maharaj. I announce Rs 1 crore from my pocket to anyone who brings me the severed head of the Kerala Chief Minister...such traitors don’t have the right to live in this country.
Reacting to Chandrawat’s shocking hate speech, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said, “the Sangh Parivar has taken the heads of several people.”
CPI-M Kerala Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the RSS won't be able to "remove even a hair of Vijayan" and warned the organisation "not to play with the CPI-M".
If they do, then we will be forced to teach them certain things.
Opposition leader and Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said the RSS leader should be immediately arrested.
CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence after Chandrawat's announcement of a bounty to have Vijayan beheaded.
Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)