BJP fumes after Bihar senior IPS officer compares PFI with RSS

TIL Desk/National/Patna/ The Bharatiya Janata Party flew off the handle on Thursday after a senior IPS officer in Bihar sought to draw a parallel between its parent body Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and an Islamic extremist organisation, a network of which was recently busted in the city.

Patna senior superintendent of police Manavjit Singh Dhillon courted trouble for having said that Popular Front of India members arrested from Phulwari Sharif in Patna underwent “physical training similar to what happens in RSS shakhas (branches)”.

BJP leaders, including high-ranking ones like former Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and ex-deputy CM of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi, expressed outrage, while others questioned the police officer’s soundness of mind and demanded his sacking.

“I condemn the irresponsible and despicable utterance of the SSP of Patna, my parliamentary constituency, who has sought to compare the PFI, a known terrorist organisation, to a nationalist organisation like the RSS,” fumed Prasad, who represents Patna Sahib in Lok Sabha.

“I have learnt that senior officials have taken note of the reprehensible conduct of the officer. I hope proper action will be taken,” added Prasad. When approached by journalists, additional director general of police (headquarters), JS Gangwar said the SSP could have spoken out of context. “Comparing one organisation with another is wrong. We will speak to him on the issue and advise him to concentrate on investigating the case,” he said.