Threat of violence is RSS' only weapon, says Sitaram Yechury

Yechury also trashed Rijiju after the minister alleged that Leftists celebrate whenever Indian soldiers die.

New Delhi, Feb 28: CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury on Tuesday flayed the Modi government and the Sangh Parivar over the death and rape threats to Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur for taking on the ABVP.

"Ministers are supposed to work under the constitutional oath to ensure the rule of law. The current lot, instead, jumps to the support of those who threaten, abuse and bully a 20-year-old lady," Yechury said on his Facebook page.

"Sangh Parivar has no strength of conviction in its reasoning, the threat of violence is its only weapon against ideas. "It is about an individual's freedom, guaranteed under our Constitution to each one of us.

"They want to impose all their regressive ideas on what you wear, eat, see, do, or the way you live," added the Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary.

Besides facing criticism from some union ministers including Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, Kaur got death and rape threats after she took on the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

Daughter of an army officer who died in the Kargil war, Kaur spoke against the ABVP after its activists were blamed for the attacks on students, teachers and journalists in the campus. Yechury also trashed Rijiju after the minister alleged that Leftists celebrate whenever Indian soldiers die.

"Who celebrated after (Mahatma) Gandhi was killed!" Yechury tweeted. He quoted then Home Minsiter Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as telling then RSS chief M.S. Golwalkar: "RSS men expressed joy and distributed sweets after Gandhiji's death."

IANS