RSS supported Tantya Mama and Birsa Munda's killers: Rahul Gandhi

Bhopal: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched yet another scathing attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), alleging that when the entire country was fighting against the British, the right wing was supporting the Britishers.

Rahul Gandhi made these remarks while addressing a large gathering of tribal people in Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa district on the second day of the Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY) in the state.

Without taking the name of any right wing leader in his speech, the former Congress President alleged that the RSS supported the Britishers, who hanged two tribal freedom fighters -- Tantya Mama and Birsa Munda.

He said that these brave tribal leaders were fighting against British rule to save their community and the nation, for which they were hanged.

"Today I am here because of Tantya Mama, for his personality, his bravery, his determination and his fearlessness. You know that Tantya Mama and Birsa Munda were hanged by the Britishers, and you also know that the RSS supported the Britishers," Rahul Gandhi said while addressing the gathering in Khandwa, the birthplace of Tantya Mama.

The Congress leader also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the latter has coined a new word, 'vanvasi' (forest dweller), for tribal people.

"Few days back, PM Modi used a new word for you (tribals) - 'vanvasi'. They (BJP) say 'vanvasi' because they want to tell you that your rights are confined within the forest areas only, and not beyond that. This is the reason PM Modi calls you 'vanvasi'. But the Congress calls you 'adivasi', which means you are the oldest citizens of this country and therefore you have the first right to every resource in this country, not only in the forest, but beyond it."