Kanhaiya Kumar: RSS, BJP trying to displace Mahatma Gandhi, must realize they are not the nation

Bengaluru: The Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Kanhaiya Kumar alleged on Thursday that he was not anti-Modi as often portrayed.

Kumar told the reporters at a media interaction organized by the Press Club of Bengaluru that the RSS did not understand the preamble of the Constitution. “It doesn’t tolerate any voice raised against it, which is the essence of democracy. You don’t get away with criticism of the government or its ideology. People like Pansare and Kalaburgi are examples of this. The Prime Minister, the RSS, and BJP should realize that they are not the nation, but only components of it,”’ he stressed.

While responding to a question on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s picture replacing Gandhiji’s in the calendar and diary by Khadi Village Industries Commission recently. “They would appropriate Bhagat Singh and BR Ambedkar, too but they can’t since they don’t believe in their ideologies. While Bhagat Singh was an atheist, Ambedkar was up against Manusmriti.”

He also said that he is not interested in joining politics; he said politics did not mean contesting elections. “It is addressing the basic problems of common people,” he said.

Speaking on the promised ‘acche din’ he said acche din came for those who compromised on their principles in the media and bureaucracy for the sake of power and money. “They will not come for farmers and common people,” he said.

Mr. Kumar also said he found no rationale in the ABVP objecting to his visit to Bengaluru. “Even a year after my arrest, no charge sheet has been filed against me. I am out on bail and have been going to various places.”

Kanhaiya, whose sedition case is still pending before the court said.Criticizing the PM shouldn’t be viewed as an anti-national stand, he said. “You can’t say the Prime Minister is equal to the nation. Criticizing the government is not sedition,” he said.