Cong washes hands of Digvijay's remarks against RSS

New Delhi, Jul 18: Congress today washed its hands of party general secretary Digvijay Singh''s remarks that RSS was "making bomb factories" saying that "unnecessary speculation" does not help when an investigation is going on.

"It would be better if you put this question to him," was the repeated refrain of party spokesperson Manish Tewari to questions on whether the party endorsed Singh''s recent remarks on the RSS.

Asked whether he has ever got such an information from any other source, Tewari retorted saying he neither headed the NIA nor CBI and it was not his job to substitute his opinion with that of the security agencies that have been entrusted with the task of securing the nation''s interest.

To a question on how does Digvijay Singh come to know of such things which only investigative agencies can dig out, Tewari merely said, "It will be appropriate if you ask him the question." Tewari at the same time added, "We do a great disservice to the country by not allowing investigations to pan out and reach a conclusion....Unnecessary speculation and communalisation of terror does not help." Singh had on Saturday courted controversy when he said that he does not rule out the involvement of Sangh in Mumbai serial blasts, evoking criticism and condemnation from BJP.

"I do not rule out anything. If they want evidence about Sangh''s involvement in terror activity, I have got evidence. But not in this case," Singh had told the media.

Continuing with his tirade, he said yesterday that RSS was "making bomb factories" and demanded that role of all kinds of terror groups, including Hindu outfits, should be probed in connection with the Mumbai serial blasts.
Though Tewari refrained from commenting on Digvijay Singh''s remarks against the RSS, he said, "Samjhauta Express blast is unfortunately a case in point in which certain organizations'' linkages have been established." Samjhauta Express blast investigations have thrown up its linkages with some Hindu groups.

Tewari also justified Home Minister P Chidambarm''s remarks on the blast as a "very responsible statement".

Chidambaram had said that the government did not want to proceed with any kind of pre-supposition and speculate.

"All groups who have the capacity are suspected. All angles will be explored, leads will be followed without any predetermination of the cause," the Home Minister had said.

Asked whether there is any similarity between the statements of Digvijay Singh and the Home Minister on the issue, Tewari wondered, "What else should a Home Minister say when an investigation is going on. That is a very responsible statement, the Home Minister has made." He at the same time refused to give any categorical statement on Digvijay''s remarks saying, "I have already answered about what Digvijay Singh has said." Tewari said that there is a need to focus the national discourse on how we build the capabilities to prevent even the minutest possibility of such attacks.

"There is an investigation, which is already in progress. To unnecessarily speculate at this time is tantamount to rubbing salt on the wounds of the victims of the terror," he said.

Asked about reports of Digvijay Singh engaging in a brawl with Bajrang Dal workers in Ujjain, Tewari said that it can be best explained by the honourable AICC general secretary himself.

PTI