RSS distances itself from Panchjanya article

NEW DELHI: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Sunday rubbished media reports that it defended the Dadri lynching and asserted that it had already demanded a probe in the matter and maintained that guilty should be punished.

A report in an English newspaper quoted from the piece of an independent writer in Panchjanya, an RSS-affiliated weekly, to suggest that the Sangh organ defended the Dadri incident.

“The report that RSS supports Dadri incident is blatantly false and baseless. RSS never supported any incident of violence. RSS has clearly stated about Dadri violence that a thorough inquiry should be conducted and the guilty should be punished,” RSS’ publicity chief Manmohan Vaidya said, adding, “Publications such as Panchjanya or Organiser are not the mouth piece of RSS. An official office bearer only speaks on behalf of RSS,” he added.

An article in the recent issue of Panchjanya triggered the controversy by suggesting that the vedas order killing of anyone who slaughters a cow. The article also questioned the rebellion by writers who are returning their awards to protest the lynching episode.

But, Panchjanya editor Hitesh Shankar distanced himself from the piece saying the views expressed in the article are personal. “We don’t support any violent incident. The writer has expressed his independent views. These are not editorial views. I don’t recollect any write up justifying Iqlakh’s killing. The Dadri incident should be probed,” Shankar said.