Claiming that RSS activists have been indicted in at least 13 terror cases across India, former Maharashtra inspector general of police S.M. Mushrif on Thursday described the Hindutva outfit as India's No.1 terrorist organisation.
"RSS activists have been charge-sheeted in at least 13 cases of terror acts in which RDX has been used. If organisations like Bajrang Dal are taken into the account, then the number of such cases goes up to 17," Mushrif said at an event here.
"The RSS is India's number one terrorist organisation, there is no doubt on this," said Mushrif, referring to the 2007 Mecca Masjid bombing in Hyderabad, the 2006 and 2008 Malegaon blasts in Maharashtra and the 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings among others.
Mushrif, however, asserted that "saffron terror" had no bearing on which party was in power.
"The RSS as a terror organisation has nothing to do with political power. It is immaterial which party is in power. It is the system that is working, it's the Brahminical system. And when I say Brahminical, it doesn't mean the Brahmin, it's the mentality, the attitude to dominate and oppress," he said.
However, Mushrif was not in agreement with the view that intolerance was rising in recent times.
"Intolerance has been going on for a long time. There have been many severe bigger incidents earlier, I don't understand why it is being highlighted now," he asked.
Reiterating his claims that the Intelligence Bureau (IB) masterminded the killing of Hemant Karkare, who was probing the involvement of Hindu radicals in terror acts, during the Mumbai terror attack in 2008 Mushrif called for a people's movement to establish the truth behind the killing of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad chief.
"There is clinching evidence about the IB's involvement but all efforts to establish that have been defeated. Our efforts to call for an independent probe have always been defeated. Unless there is a massive public movement, this will never be established," said Mushrif, who made the sensational claims in his book "Who Killed Karkare".
Mushrif, along with national award winning music director and former Trinamool Lok Sabha member Kabir Suman, participated in an event to commemorate Karkare's martyrdom.
RSS WILL DESTROY HINDUISM: POET ASHOK VAJPEYI
The RSS may not harm Islam in India, but it will certainly destroy Hinduism, Hindi poet Ashok Vajpeyi said on Thursday.
"Mahatma Gandhi had once said that all religions are true, but they are not perfect. Through this he is saying that each religion can learn from another religion. A nation which is called so diverse which has millions of gods and over 700 languages.
"Now they are saying that you are a traitor. So if I am a traitor let me say something. At present in India, I don't know how Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will harm Islam, but it will certainly destroy Hinduism," he said, delivering a public lecture on the occasion of the Constitution Day at the Gandhi Peace Foundation here.
A vociferous critic of the policies of the Narendra Modi-led central government, Vajpeyi has been under attack by the Sangh parivar for returning his Sahitya Akademi award to protest rising intolerance in the country.
Referring to the recent controversy over the statements made by Bollywood actor Aamir Khan, he said: "There is a difference between the nation and its government. The nation is larger than the government. Protesting against the government doesn't mean one is protesting against the nation."
Intellectuals and activists were present at the gathering to mark 66 years since the country's constitution was adopted, and the present socio-economic political situation, democracy, existing inequalities and right to equality and justice were among the issues taken up. The event was organised by Jan Awaaz, a citizen's platform created to highlight public concerns.
Among others who spoke were Supreme Court lawyer Indira Jaising, activists Usha Ramanathan and Nikhil Dey and Delhi High Court's former chief ju
