RSS represents Hindu nationalism, I will never accept its invite, says Owaisi

Owaisi said RSS stood for Hindu nationalism. "It is an organisation which believe in Indian nationalism. I will never do this stupidity and mistake of what Pranab Mukherjee did...," he told reporters here.

Image representational: PTI/ file

Hyderabad: MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi Thursday claimed that the RSS represents Hindu nationalism and said he would never accept any invitation from it to participate in any event held by the organisation. The Hyderabad Lok Sabha MP was reacting the invitation being extended by RSS to various leaders for a three-day lecture series of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, scheduled to be held in New Delhi next week. The RSS has indicated that it would invite Congress president Rahul Gandhi, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and the leaders of all the political outfits of different ideologies besides religious leaders, sportspersons, media personalities and ambassadors of more than 60 countries. Owaisi said RSS stood for Hindu nationalism. "It is an organisation which believe in Indian nationalism.  I will never do this stupidity and mistake of what Pranab Mukherjee did...," he told reporters here. He was referring to the participation of the former president in an RSS event at Nagpur in June last, which had then triggered a controversy with senior Congress leaders opposing it. "I cannot speak for Congress president and I can speak only for myself.I would never even in my thought process think for a second about such an invitation," he said when asked about his reaction to Gandhi being invited. Owaisi attacked the Centre over rising fuel prices, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created enough darkness by ensuring that the price price of petrol and diesel go beyond common mans means. Targeting the prime minister over the issues of Jammu and Kashmir, demonetisation and employment generation, he said Modi might have "created light" for his party. "People are lynching Dalits and Muslims in the name of cow. Everywhere there is darkness. Light will come only when BJP is removed from power," he claimed. On BJP leader Subramanian Swamy's remarks that the lookout notice against businessman Vijay Mallya got diluted, eventually allowing him to flee the country, Owaisi said heshould approach a court seeking justice. "If Subramanian Swamy is real patriot, what is stopping him from taking it to a logical conclusion by going to the court of law," he said.