Bihar: Red-Faced BJP Demands Action Against Patna SSP for ‘Comparing’ RSS With PFI

Patna: Much to the embarrassment of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Manavjeet Singh Dhillon on Thursday compared the Popular Front of India with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, the mentor organisation of BJP. Angry over this, some BJP leaders demanded action against Dhillon for comparing the two organisations.

While addressing a press conference here in connection with the arrest of three suspected PFI members allegedly involved in anti-national activities, Dhillon said like RSS (a Hindutva organisation), youth were being provided physical training by the arrested PFI (a Islamic outfit) members at Phulwarisharif, situated on the outskirts of Patna. Soon after this statement, several BJP leaders demanded removal of Dhillon for his remark.

Dhillon reportedly said that the arrested PFI members were mobilising youths in the name of physical training, like RSS does in its shakhas. “As of now, the investigation into the activities of arrested PFI members is in the primary stage. What we came to know that they were mobilising youths from madrasa and mosques. They were trying to turn these youths into fanatics. Their modus operandi was similar to RSS’s shakhas where physical training is given. Along with this they were following their agenda and trying to brainwash the youth.”

(अनुसंधान प्रारंभिक स्टेज पर है. ये पता चला है कि इनका ऑर्गनाइजेशन बेसिकली मस्जिद और मदरसे में यूथ को मोबलाइज करती थी. ये लगातार कट्टरपंथ की ओर कार्यशील थे. इनकी कार्यप्रणाली ऐसी थी जैसे आरएसएस की शाखा होती है. आर्गनाइज करते हैं और लाठी की शारीरिक ट्रेनिंग देते हैं. उसी तरीके से ये लोग भी फिजिकल ट्रेनिंग देते थे. इसी के साथ अपना एजेंडे था उसके साथ यूथ का ब्रेनवॉश करने का काम कर रहे थे'- मानवजीत सिंह ढिल्लो, एसएसपी, पटना)

Hari Bhushan Thakur, the saffron-clad BJP MLA who has emerged as a firebrand Hindutva icon in the state, demanded action against Dhillon. “He should be removed from the post for his baseless and useless comparison of a nationalist organisation with PFI that is spreading terror and hate”, he said.

Thakur claimed that Dhillon’s “mental health was not sound” and should be treated medically as he made such a remark that had hurt millions across the country and abroad.

State BJP spokesperson Arvind Singh accused Dhillon of acting like a spokesperson of PFI. “It was shocking and unfortunate that an IPS rank officer has compared RSS with an organisation (PFI) that is involved in terror.”

Singh demanded that the government should immediately remove Dhillon for his irresponsible statement that exposed his lack of knowledge about RSS and immature behaviour in “such a sensitive case of national security.”

A team of Bihar police, on the input of Intelligence Bureau, on Wednesday arrested two PFI members from Nayatola area of Phulwarisharif police station area and booked them under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) on charges of conspiring and attempting to create religious animosity and promoting enmity between two religions. Late Wednesday night, the police arrested one more suspect associated with PFI activities from an adjacent neighbourhood.

The men were arrested under Sections of 13(1)(b) of UAPA apart from IPC Sections 120A & 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 141 r/w 34 (unlawful assembly).

Police also claimed to have recovered posters, flags, pamphlets and documents related to transaction of huge money.

According to the police, investigation into the case suggested that the arrested people were involved in training youths in the name of PFI and SDFI (Social Democratic Party of India).