The Sunday Express met Taneja at his residence and asked him why he was impersonating as a PMO officer. Taneja denied he had anything to do with the PMO but claimed there was a “threat to his life” as he was “doing research” on the Sethusamudram project.

“Everybody has a mission in life, Sethusamudram is my mission,” he said. “I moved into this flat days ago and have sought protection from RSS leader Ram Madhav. The only time I have come out in the public is when I addressed the media with Ashok Singhal on Sethusamudram.” Taneja admitted he was not a scientist adding, however, that he was “researching” the canal project. When asked about his academic credentials, he said he didn’t want to comment.

But few in the RSS were suspicious.

For, last month, Taneja even held a press conference in the capital with VHP chief Ashok Singhal who slammed the Government on the project. Defying all scientific evidence, the VHP and RSS officially urged the UPA Government to re-route the project claiming it would destroy the “Rama Sethu” built by Lord Ram to Lanka to rescue Sita. The Sangh even threatened to launch an agitation against the Centre in case the canal’s route isn’t changed.

When contacted today, RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav admitted that Taneja was an RSS pracharak. When asked about the alleged forgery, Madhav said: “We have received some complaints about some of the activities of Mr Taneja outside the RSS. The RSS leadership feels these complaints have enough substance to warrant his immediate removal as pracharak.”

... contd.