The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Friday categorically denied the involvement of its students’ wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) or any other Hindu outfit in the September 29 Malegaon and Modasa blasts. This comes close on the heels of the arrest of five Hindu activists in this connection.

Speaking to the media here, RSS Sangh Chalak (North) Bajranglal Gupta said that both the outfits have been dragged into this by vested political interests.

“The investigating agencies are talking about some individuals and not any organisation,” Gupta said. He added that the ABVP is being targeted because it has taken a tough stance on the Bangladeshi infiltrators who are jeopardising the demography of the north eastern part of the country and is set to make a huge demonstration on the issue.

“This is an effort to deviate attention from the real perpetrators of terror like SIMI and

Indian Mujahideen,” Gupta said. He went on to say that if any individual having connection with an organisation being involved in a criminal act becomes faulty, then people like Lalu Yadav too need to be hauled up as he had worked with the ABVP during the JP Movement in mid-seventies.

Claiming that the role of the Centre in handling threats of terror has not been “too encouraging”, he said “it is unfortunate that the government is not coming forward to promulgate stringent anti-terror laws”.

“Not clearing anti-terror bills forwarded by states like GUJCOC clearly indicates that it is not even helping states that are making sincere efforts to fight terrorism,” he said. He further said that the RSS demanded “laws, which not only act tough on terrorists but also on all their sponsors and supporters both underground and over ground be enacted forthwith”.

“RSS has sought that the Orissa government immediately take steps to arrest the

murderers of Lakshmanananda Saraswati in Kandhamal, and expressed its concern over growing conversion of tribals in that area,” Gupta said.

He said that concerned over the ethnic conflict between Bangladeshi infiltrators and locals in Assam, the Sangh has demanded that the Assam government take steps to ensure safe return of the locals who have been displaced in the wake of the violence. “The Centre should enact a comprehensive legislation on the lines of Britain and some other countries, to detect the Bangladeshi infiltrators and deport them back,” he added.