JL Nehru sought RSS help when Pakistan attacked J&K: Uma Bharti

Bhopal: In a controversial remark, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister Uma Bharti claimed that Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had urged RSS to help the government when Pakistan had attacked Jammu and Kashmir after both the countries attained independence.

She also asserted that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had accepted Nehru's appeal and had sent the Sangh volunteers to help.

Her remark comes when Congress is slamming the organisation over RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's statement on the Army.

Talking to the reporters here, Uma Bharti refused to give any direct comments on Bhagwat's remark but said that soon after independence, the ruler of the princely state of Kashmir Maharaja Hari Singh had refused to sign the accession treaty of Jammu and Kashmir while Sheikh Abdullah was forcing him to sign.

"Nehru was in a dilemma. Then Pakistan suddenly attacked and its soldiers advanced up to Udhampur," she said.

Also Read: Bhagwat’s comment on army triggers outrage despite RSS’ clarification

"The attack was unexpected and our Army was short of hi-tech equipment to reach there," said the BJP leader.

"At that time, Nehru-Ji wrote a letter to Guru Golwalkar (the then RSS chief MS Golwalkar) seeking RSS volunteers' help. RSS volunteers went to Jammu and Kashmir to help," she claimed.

The Opposition parties have been slamming Mohan Bhagwat saying that he has insulted the Indian armed forces and country by saying that in the eventuality of a battle to be fought, the RSS could mobilise itself within three days while Indian Army would require six to seven months to do so.

Clarifying the statement, the RSS said that Bhagwat had not compared Indian Army with Sangh volunteers and his remark on the matter was misrepresented.