The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Monday attempted to clarify its chief Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks that the RSS could prepare to fight for the country in two to three days, whereas the Army would take six to seven months. The Hindutva group claimed their chief’s statement had been “misrepresented”, and that he had compared RSS workers with the general population and not Army soldiers.

“Bhagwat ji had said that if the situation arises and the Constitution permits, the Indian Army would take six months to prepare the society, whereas Sangh swayamsevaks can be trained in three days as Swayamsevaks practise discipline regularly,” senior RSS leader Manmohan Vaidya clarified in a statement. “This was no way a comparison between the Indian Army and the Sangh swayamsevaks; it was a comparison between the general society and swayamsevaks. Both are to be trained by the Indian Army only.”

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At an RSS function in Muzaffarpur in Bihar, Bhagwat had said the RSS was ready to fight enemies on the border if required. “The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is not a military organisation, but we have discipline like the military,” he had said.

The Congress has opposed Bhagwat’s statement. “The RSS chief’s speech is an insult to every Indian, because it disrespects those who have died for our nation,” Congress President Rahul Gandhi tweeted. “It is an insult to our flag because it insults every soldier who ever saluted it. Shame on you Mr Bhagwat, for disrespecting our martyrs and our Army.”

However, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju defended the chief of his party’s ally organisation. “Indian Army is our pride,” Rijiju tweeted in an apparent response to Gandhi’s tweet. “In an emergency situation (not Congress emergency) every Indian must volunteer to stand with Defence Forces. Bhagwat ji only said it takes around six to seven months for a person to be a trained soldier and if the Constitution permits, [the] RSS cadres have the ability to contribute.”