BJP-RSS want to thrust one idea; Opp will defeat them: Rahul

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi today said the opposition would unitedly "fight and defeat" the BJP and RSS's attempts to "thrust one idea" on a country that celebrates diversity.

Each state had a "culture, (its) own thinking, own way of expression and food" and this diversity was India's strength and not a weakness, he told reporters here.

But the BJP viewed these as "weaknesses" that needed to be crushed, he said.

"The BJP and RSS are under the impression that one idea can be placed on top of India," Gandhi said, without elaborating.

Opposition leaders at a DMK event here yesterday raised these issues, Gandhi said, adding, "But India is not one idea; India is thousands of different ideas and this one idea of the RSS will never ever crush
the thousands of ideas (of India)".

Against the background of its ally DMK accusing the Centre of "imposing" Hindi on the people, the Congress leader, who earlier interacted with party workers and leaders here, said all languages needed to be respected.