West Bengal minority council demands 'ban' on RSS

IANS | 13 April 2017 6:17 AM | Kolkata: The West Bengal Minority United Council on Thursday appealed to the state government to impose "complete ban" on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). 

The council accused the RSS of destroying the atmosphere of peace and plotting a communal riot in West Bengal. 

"The RSS is trying hard to destroy the atmosphere of love that prevailed in the nation. We have got the report that nearly 5,000-6,000 RSS activists have arrived in Bengal from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states with a motive of starting a riot," state's Minority Council General Secretary Shabbir Ali Azad said at a press conference. 

"We appeal to the state government to impose a complete ban on an organisation like RSS," he added. 

"RSS had no role in the nation's freedom movement, rather their activists had worked as the agents of the British since the pre-Independence era. Till today, their only motive is to divide the country by polarising the countrymen," he claimed. 

Criticising the armed rallies on the occasion of the Ram Navami and the Hanuman Jayanti in the state, All Bengal Minority Youth Federation General Secretary Md. Kamruzaman said the minority community cannot be scared by showing weapons. 

"Some people are thinking that by brandishing weapons they would be able to scare the minority communities of the country. They should know the Muslim community is not scared of them. We are in favour of peace and harmony in the country," Kamruzaman said. 

He said the onus of stopping the communal forces in the country is on the secular people, including the Hindus and Muslims. "Almost 95 per cent people belonging to the majority community believe in secularism. We would appeal to them to join us in the protest against the rising communalism and fascism in the country," he added.