Dadri lynching: RSS "distances" from Panchajanya, Organiser; 'not our mouthpiece'

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), in a surprise move, has "distanced" itself from its own mouthpieces -- "Panchajanya" in Hindi, and "Organiser" in English. It has fielded RSS'all-India propaganda chief (prachar pramukh) Dr Manmohan Vaidya to tweet through RSS (@RSSorg) that they "are not mouthpiece of RSS", adding, "An official office bearer only speaks on behalf of RSS".

The statement has been made close on the heels of the RSS mouthpiece, "Panchajanya", seeking to justify the killing of Mohammad Akhlaq in Greater Noida's Dadri area over rumours that he had eaten and stored beef in his house.
Justifying the Dadri killing, the weekly quotes the Vedas as having ordered the killing of "sinners" who slaughter cows. Interestingly, the article has been carried as the cover story of the "Panchajanya".
The weekly also accuses the "the Muslim leadership" and "madrasas" for teaching the community to "hate" the Indian traditions, even as criticizing the writers who have returned their awards, mostly Sahitya Akademi, in the wake of the Dadri incident.
"Akhlaq perhaps slaughtered a cow under the influence of such bad deeds," the Panchjanya article 'Is Utpat ke Us Paar' (The other side of this Disturbance) by Tufail Chaturvedi says.
The 52-year-old Akhlaq was beaten to death in Bisara village near Dadri, in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Budh Nagar on the night of September 28, while his 22-year-old son Danish was injured seriously in the mob attack. It later emerged that the meat over which the man was lynched was not of any beef.
Against this backdrop, @RSSorg further tweeted, qouting Dr Vaidya to say, "RSS has clearly stated about Dadri violence that a thorough inquiry should be conducted and the guilty should be punished with." This is the first time the RSS came up wish such tweets.
@RSSorg also tweeted, "The report that RSS supports Dadri incident is blatantly false and baseless. RSS never supported any incident of violence: Dr Vaidya."
The RSS sought to "distance" itself from "Panchajanya" soon after BJP chief Amit Shah summoned a few prominent BJP leaders who have been defending Dadri lynching -- Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan, party MP Sakshi Maharaj and MLA from Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Som.
Shah, it is said, summoned them because Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "upset" that their statements were being counterproductive in Bihar. Already, Modi has cancelled few of his election programmes, while deciding not to project himself in the elections. His and Amit Shah's posters have suddenly been removed.
Meanwhile, former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju has taken strong exception to the "Panchajanya" article, saying: "Will Panchajanya enlighten me? 'Panchajanya' journal stated that the Vedas said that killers of cows should be killed. But where exactly is this stated in the Vedas? Is it in the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, or Atharveda (the four samhitas)?"
He further goes on: "In which chapter (mandal) and which richa? Or is it in the Brahmana texts which relate to the rituals (the yagyas)? The Aitareya Brahman, Shatapath Brahman, Taitareya Brahman or Gopath Brahman?"
Katju concludes, "In fact it is not stated anywhere. I have read the Vedas many times and do not find it anywhere. Will 'Panchajanya' enlighten me?"

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