Digvijay Singh's poser to RSS over PDP-BJP alliance in J&K

Nagpur, Apr 1: Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh today sought to know from the RSS leadership as to how BJP could form government in Jammu and Kashmir with PDP, which had once opposed the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

"I want to ask this question to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in his own turf (RSS headquarters is located in Nagpur) here and not to Prime Minister Narendra Modi (as to how BJP has joined hands with PDP)," Singh told reporters here. He said PDP had "openly criticised the government's decision and subsequent hanging of Afzal Guru."

PDP President Mehbooba Mufti will be sworn in as the first woman Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on April 4.

PDP and BJP had staked claim for government formation on March 26, two days after Mehbooba was elected as PDP's legislature party leader following the death of her father, who headed PDP-BJP coalition government for 10 months from March 1 last year until his death on January 7 this year.

Singh also criticised the RSS leadership for fueling unnecessary controversy over chanting of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" slogans.

Ridiculing the BJP's dream of a "Congress free India", Singh said Congress has a legacy in the country and played a major role in the independence struggle. "There was no need for such comments (about Bharat Mata ki Jai). Neither BJP nor RSS was ever involved in the freedom struggle and they should not talk of chanting such slogans," he alleged.

He also criticised Bhagwat for his remarks on review of reservation quota for the backward community. On the political crisis in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh, Singh said BJP has violated the anti-defection law in both the places to destabilise the Congress-led government.

"Why don't you go for elections in both states," he asked. On the demand for separate Vidarbha, Singh said there was a need for consensuses among the people and the issue was better left to the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) to answer.

PTI