Monday, June 6 2005 08:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Nagpur: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) yesterday (Jun 5, 2005) expressed its concern over Muslim infiltrators from neighbouring Bangladesh and held the "vote-greedy" politicians responsible for it.

"A large number of Bangladeshi infiltrators have crossed the Indian side over a period of time," RSS chief K Sudarshan said while addressing annual concluding function of one-month-long training camp of swayayamsewaks (volunteers) in Nagpur.

Quoting UN statistics, Sudarshan said the Bangladesh population should have been 11.8 crore between 1981-91 but has shown a decline of 1.4 crore during that period.

Claiming that these 1.4 crore Bangladeshi Muslims have moved into the northeast India, particularly Assam and northeastern part of West Bengal, he said the top intelligence agencies including RAW besides the then Governor of Assam had expressed their apprehensions over the infiltration.

However, the then Assam Chief Minister had denied influx of Bangladeshi Muslims.

Coming down heavily on the political parties, Sudarshan said, "The vote-greedy politicians are not concerned over the infiltrators."

"The ruling political parties only enjoyed their votes but never bothered to improve their living standards. There was a lack of political will to upgrade the overall living condition of Muslims in the country," he asserted.

Disagreeing for giving minority status to Muslims and Christians in the country, Sudarshan said only Parsis and Jews deserve the status but surprisingly they have declined to accept the same.

The RSS chief said 99.9 per cent Muslims and Christians are Indians. Their fathers and forefathers belonged to this country so how can they be described as "minorities", he posed.

"Only those people who came from some other land (country) fit in this category. Only members of Parsi and Jew communities deserve this but they have declined the same status," the RSS chief added.

Citing examples of Field Marshal Sam Maneckshaw and eminent jurists Nani Palkhiwala and Fali Nariman, he said that Parsis have reached on top positions be it Army, business or legal profession.

"India is the only nation where Muslims have all the 73 sects and in real terms is 'Darul Islam'. No other Muslim country in the world have so much sects," he claimed.

A Muslims Rashtriya Manch is being set up, which is advocating common civil code, opposed to triple-talaq, wants education for girls and ban on cow-slaughter and a Ram temple at Ayodhya, he said and dismissed the accusation of RSS being communal organisation.

Speaking on the occasion, noted scientist and former chairman of Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO), Dr Kasturirangan stressed the need for professionalism in approach.

"Today's youth needs to adopt dedication and professionalism to achieve excellence in career. They need to inculcate a sense of responsibility and perfection without compromising to excel," he said and called upon RSS cadres to do for betterment of education and health system and bring youths from northeast to mainstream.

He also complimented Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for setting up a Knowledge Commission saying "its fantastic".