Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday denied allegations that the RSS was spreading communalism, and called it an organisation that worked selflessly for the nation. He also called for a debate on who is communal and who is a nationalist. Pointing out that the RSS worked with the cooperation of society, he said, “But when it works in any slum or backward area, wanting to generate nationalist sentiments and respect for the motherland in every citizen, then finger is raised against it and said that it spreads communalism. Is it not the best time to hold a debate in the country on nationalism?. who is communal and who is nationalist in the country. Should a difference between nationalism and communalism not be there?” He was speaking at the “Hindu Vijyotsav”, organised by the VHP, to mark the victory of Raja Suheldeo over Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masood in 1088. Praising Suheldeo and other Hindu rulers, the CM took exception to those who “associated” with certain Muslim kings. “The nation respects A P J Abdul Kalam and martyr Hamid. But at the same time we have to decide whether there should be space for those who are trying to associate themselves with Ghaznavi, Ghauri, Babar and Aurangzeb,” he said. He said after Independence, those who divided society under the appeasement policy by creating vote banks, called themselves as “manavtavadi (humanist)”. “Is desh ke bahusankhyak samaj ko gaali dete hain. itihas ke mahapurushon ka apmaan karte hain. bharat ke itihas ko tod-marod kar prastut karte hain. (They insult the majority. insult the greats of history. they present a distorted version of India’s history).” But at the same time, he said, they call those who support the unity of the country communal. “Thus, it is necessary to take forward this kind of discussion (on communalism and nationalism),” he said.
