RSS condemns its leader's announcement of Rs 1 crore reward for beheading Kerala CM

Delhi: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)  clarified on Thursday that the views expressed by Dr Kundan Chandrawat regarding Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan are not official statement of the sangh.

"RSS does not subscribe to any views advocating violence and strongly condemn it. Attached statement is loud and clear," said MM Vaidya.

The official Twitter handle of RSS posted the following statement -

RSS do not subscribe to any views advocating violence and strongly condemn it. Attached statement is loud and clear: Dr MM Vaidya pic.twitter.com/NHzrWCdBDx — RSS (@RSSorg) March 2, 2017

Chandrawat, who is the RSS` Mahanagar Prachar Pramukh of Ujjain, sparked a political row today while addressing a public gathering in Ujjain.

In the video, the RSS functionary is heard saying that he would offer Rs one crore reward to anyone who beheads the Kerala CM.

Justifying his assertion, Chandrawat further said he made the "explosive statement just like Bhagat Singh used the bomb on British", adding that his intention was to make people "know Hindus are not sleeping," as per ANI.

Later, Chandrawat said that he was not apologetic about his announcement on rewarding.

"The Leftist government of Kerala is murdering democracy. Those participating in RSS camps are being murdered," the RSS leader told media persons, as per IANS.

Meanwhile, the ruling CPI-M's state secretariat in the Kerala capital Thiruvananthapuram condemned the RSS leader's statement and said the party would hold protest across the state tomorrow.

On the other hand, BJP's Kerala unit general secretary AN Radhakrishnan said, "This is not the style of BJP. BJP is an organisation which functions in a highly democratic manner. Even though hundreds of BJP workers have been killed, the party has not diverted from this stand. The national leadership of RSS has disowned the person who made the statement. People of Kerala know very well which party protects murderers," as per PTI.

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. 

(With Agency inputs)