'You did mischief': Rahul takes jab at Digvijay over social media post

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress share a bitter rivalry and it is but natural that any praise for the ruling party and its ideological fountain head - the Rashtriya Syamsevak Sangh (RSS) - by a senior member of the 'grand old party' will lead to raised eyebrows in several quarters, not least within the Nehru-Gandhi family. 

It was, therefore, expected that Digvijay Singh will cop some heat from former Congress president Rahul Gandhi during an event held to mark party’s foundation day in New Delhi on Sunday. 

What Rahul Gandhi said to Digvijay Singh?

The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) however, showed his witty and light hearted side when he accused Digvijay Singh of 'mischief'.

"Kal aapne badmashi kar di (you created a lot of mischief yesterday)," Rahul was quoted as telling the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister following a function at the party headquarters, Indira Bhavan, on the occasion of Congress Foundation Day.

According to media reports, Rahul Gandhi's remarks prompted laughter among the leaders present on the occasion, including his mother and senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. 

What Digvijay Singh said praising BJP-RSS?

Ahead of the Congress Working Committee meeting on Saturday, Digvijay Singh had shared a photo on social media which showed Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his younger days along with Lal Krishna Advani. The photo, which was clicked in the 1990's showed Modi sitting at the feet of Advani, who was seated on a chair along with several other party leaders. 

"I found this picture. It is very impressive. How a grassroots RSS volunteer and a Jan Sangh and BJP worker, sitting on the floor at the feet of leaders, became the Chief Minister of a state and the Prime Minister of the country. This is the power of organization. Jai Siya Ram," Digvijay Singh said in the caption. 

What Digvijay Singh said in clarification?

Although Digvijay Singh later clarified his stand, asserting that he admired the organisational strength of the BJP-RSS despite opposing their ideology, his post attracted criticism from several Congress leaders. 

"Today, on Foundation Day, I want to make one thing clear: those who say, 'Congress is finished,' I want to tell them... we may have less power, but our backbone is still straight. We have not compromised... neither on Constitution, nor on secularism, nor on the rights of the poor. We may not be in power, but we will not compromise," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said during his speech on Congress Foundation Day. 

"The Congress has never spread hatred over temple-mosque issues. Congress unites, while the BJP divides. Congress kept religion as faith... but some people have turned religion into politics! Today, the BJP has power, but they lack truth... Congress is an ideology... and ideologies never die," he added.