RSS organisation of nationalists, not Pak's ISI: Gadkari on Pranab accepting invite

Mumbai: Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday welcomed former President Pranab Mukherjee's decision to accept an invitation to attend an RSS event, saying it is a "good start" and "political untouchability" is not good.

Gadkari, the Lok Sabha MP from Nagpur, also said the RSS was not Pakistan's ISI but an organisation of nationalists.

Mukherjee has been invited to be the chief guest at the valedictory function of Sangh Shiksha Varg -- a training camp for Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh volunteers -- at its headquarters in Nagpur.

The event is to be held on June 7 and a senior RSS functionary had said on Monday that Mukherjee has accepted the invitation.

"Mukherjee's acceptance of the invitation is a good start. Political untouchability is not good," Gadkari told reporters here when asked about reported reservations in the Congress over the former President accepting the RSS invite. Even though there has been no official reaction from the Congress on Mukherjee's decision, several party leaders have expressed surprise over the development.