I suspect RSS role in rationalists' killing, says Dinesh Gundurao

Bengaluru: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundurao on Monday said he strongly suspected the hand of the RSS and BJP in the murders of rationalists in the country. Blaming  RSS ideology for the murders of  Dr Narendra Dabholkar,  Govind Pansare, Dr M. M. Kalburgi and journalist/activist, Gauri Lankesh, he said, "Look at the accused who have been caught in these four cases. All of them have close links with RSS and BJP ideology. They might claim to belong to different groups or name their ideology, Sanatana Dharma, but in reality their roots lie in the RSS and that is a fact," he said emphatically.

The KPPC chief,  who was speaking to reporters after commemorating the birth anniversaries of late Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi and late chief minister, Devraj Ursu here, said the RSS and BJP ideology propagated hate and instigated the killing of those who did not believe in it. “We must accept that fundamentalism exists in the country and  confront it, rather than running away from it.  The BJP supports any right wing Hindu organisation and  will oppose any left wing or Hindu organisation," he added.

Earlier, former chief minister, Siddaramaiah charged that the BJP did not believe in either social justice or democratic values. "The BJP took out the rath yatra to derail the implementation of the Mandal Commission’s recommendations. The same party is today denying the legitimate rights of women by stalling the  passage of the women’s reservation bill in the Lok Sabha. It has always been anti-poor ,” he said.