The Congress on Monday said the RSS had nothing to do with the Hindu religion and it was only using religious symbols to sustain its politics of communalism.

The Congress has been methodically working on a project to demolish the misconception that the RSS is the sole custodian of Hindu interest and that its political wing BJP represents Hindus in Indian politics.

Rahul Gandhi has been constantly trying to explain the difference between Hinduism and Hindutva, insisting that the political ideology of the RSS-BJP should not be confused with the Hindu religion.

Kanhaiya Kumar told a media conference in Jalandhar on Monday during the Bharat Jodo Yatra that the RSS might represent communalism but had nothing to do with the Hindu religion.

“The Hindu religion existed before 1925 when the RSS was formed and will exist even after the RSS is finished. The RSS is only using religion to sustain its politics. It is using political symbols to emotionally exploit Hindus to perpetuate its political power. Don’t confuse their politics with the Hindu religion.”

Kanhaiya said: “No religious person indulges in hate and violence. The RSS tries to confuse the people by merging politics with religion. Religion is of the people, communalism is not of the people. Communalism is a political agenda pursued by the RSS and its offspring BJP. There is no difference between the RSS and the BJP. The RSS is the root, the BJP is the fruit. We can’t separate them.”

Arguing that politics based on religious identity makes it easier for the RSS-BJP to garner votes, Kanhaiya said: “RSS ki thekedari sampradayikta ki hai, dharm ki nahin (the RSS holds the contract of communalism, not religion). They are fooling the people by mixing religion and politics. They use religion to divide people while religion in itself is not divisive. This is a British trick — divide and rule.”

Referring to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s recent interview in which he said Muslims don’t have to fear but they should abandon their “sense of supremacy”, Kanhaiya said: “If the head of an organisation in India dictates how a community or person should live, the question to be asked is — do you believe in the Constitution? If yes, why are you prescribing norms on how to live safely in this country? The Constitution has given rights to every citizen. The Constitution deals with issues of freedom of choice — on what to eat, what to wear.”