Controversy over Pranab Mukherjee attending RSS event needless: Shiv Sena

Amid uproar over Pranab Mukherjee attending RSS event in Nagpur, the Shiv Sena on Thursday said there should be no controversy over it as RSS is a "nationalist organisation."

Eye brows were raised when it was first reported that Mukherjee would attend the event because Congress president Rahul Gandhi is a staunch critic of the RSS and leaves no stone unturned to target the nationalist organisation at almost every rally or function.

"Congress' Mani Shankar Aiyar goes to Pakistan and talks to anti-India outfits, other Cong members talk to outfits like Hurriyat. One may have ideological differences with RSS but it is nationalist org & if they invite former Pres there should be no controversy," Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut told news agency ANI.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had said that there should not be any political untouchability in the country.

Senior Congress leader CK Jaffer Sharief wrote a letter to the former President over his visit to an RSS, requesting him to 'reconsider and avoid visiting'.

RSS ideologue Rakesh Sinha earlier said that questions raised on RSS-Hindutva have been answered by Mukherjee accepting the invitation.

"Former President Pranab Mukherjee's acceptance to attend RSS event in Nagpur sends a message to the country that on vital issues there should be dialogue and adversaries are not enemies," Sinha had said.