RSS leader retracts 'beheading' comment against Kerala CM Vijayan

RSS leader Kundan Chandravat, who had announced a bounty of Rs 1 crore for beheading the Kerala Chief Minister, has retracted his statement after it drew condemnation from various quarters including the Sangh. Chandravat, RSS Sah Prachar Pramukh in Ujjain, claimed he got some phone calls from Kerala threatening to kill him and was being targetted in social media. "I was pained on the issue of murders of Swayamsevaks and therefore made an emotional statement. I retract it (statement) and express my regret," Chandravat said in a statement late last night. "I also got some phone calls from Kerala in which an unidentified caller threatened to kill me," he claimed.

Chandravat, in a meeting , had announced the bounty to avenge the killing of RSS workers in Kerala, allegedly by CPI-M workers. His speech sparked an uproar, drawing condemnation from the RSS, the CPI(M) and the Congress yesterday. In a video, which went viral, Chandravat is purportedly seen saying that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is behind the killing of RSS workers there and he will pay Rs 1 crore to anyone who beheads him and brings his (Vijayan's) head to him.

He also claimed that 300 innocent people belonging to the RSS had been killed but the Kerala Chief Minister was turning a blind eye. The RSS was quick to condemn Chandravat's statement, stating the organisation did not believe in violence. "The RSS strongly condemns such statement. The Sangh does not believe in violence. But we will continue to protest against attacks on our workers in Kerala in a democratic and peaceful manner," RSS national 'Sah Prachar Pramukh' (Joint Chief of Publicity) J Nandakumar had told PTI in Delhi.

Vijayan, however, dismissed the threat to his life, saying such calls would not prevent him from travelling around, while Kerala's ruling CPI(M) and Congress sought the arrest of Chandravat for his outrageous comments.

Kerala has been witnessing a series of political clashes between the cadres of BJP-RSS and the ruling CPI(M),especially in the northern Kannur district from where Vijayan hails, for a long time. Both parties have blamed each other for the cycle of violence which has claimed several lives on both sides.

Slamming the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader`s announcement on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Friday drew parallel between the right-wing organisation’s ideology and that of Taliban.

‘It exposes the ideology of the RSS and shows how it is giving Taliban-like instructions. On the one hand, they condemn the terrorists, and on the other hand they are invoking the same,’ NCP leader Tariq Anwar told ANI.

Dubbing the statement as a breach of law, another NCP leader Majeed Memon said such statements incite people and provoke people to take law in their hands.

‘How could a person belonging to an organisation such as RSS make such a statement and that too also for a constitutional head of the state. The statement is a breach of law. In fact, criminal law must be taken into action,’ he said.

‘His bosses must ask him to refrain from making such statements because it tends to incite people, provoke people and take law in their hands. So, whether a person belongs to a political party or any organisation, they should be warned,’ he added.

RSS leader Kundan Chandrawat yesterday offered Rs. one crore to anyone who would bring Kerala Chief Minister's head. "If anyone beheads the Kerala CM, who is the murderer of RSS activists, and brings his head I will bequeath my property worth more than Rs. one crore to him," he said.

However, the right-wing condemned the minister’s statement, saying it doesn’t subscribe to views advocating violence. "The RSS doesn't subscribe to any views advocating violence and strongly condemn it. Attached statement is loud and clear", said RSS spokesperson Manmohan Vaidya in a statement.

With inputs from PTI and ANI