Sat Jul 19 08:52:04 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and a news article based on the provided text, written from an Indian perspective and in a news style:

**Summary**

CPI(M) leader John Brittas strongly criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for equating the CPI(M) with the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) during a speech in Kerala. Brittas argued that Gandhi’s remarks were “ridiculous” and designed to create “confusion and division” among secular forces. He emphasized that Gandhi, as Leader of the Opposition, should prioritize uniting against the BJP instead of attacking other opposition parties. Brittas also highlighted the historical role of the Left in supporting the Congress to keep the BJP out of power and questioned Congress’s handling of the Babri Masjid issue. Despite the criticism, Brittas expressed optimism that opposition unity in the upcoming Parliament session would not be affected, while urging Gandhi to be more “mature and responsible.”

**News Article**

**Brittas Slams Gandhi’s “Ridiculous” Comparison of CPI(M) to RSS, Urges Focus on BJP**

*New Delhi, July 19, 2025* – CPI(M) leader John Brittas has sharply criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his recent remarks in Kerala, where Gandhi equated the Communist Party of India (Marxist) with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Brittas, a Rajya Sabha MP, accused Gandhi of creating “confusion and division” among secular forces and urged him to prioritize uniting against the BJP-led government.

“It’s ridiculous, preposterous,” Brittas stated, reacting to Gandhi’s speech in Kottayam where he claimed both the RSS and CPI(M) lacked empathy for the people. “Whenever he goes to Kerala, there is a penchant for him to speak such rubbish things.”

Brittas argued that Gandhi, as Leader of the Opposition, has a “bounden responsibility” to focus on the BJP and should not be giving “lessons” to the CPI(M) on how to counter the RSS. He reminded Gandhi of the Left’s support for the Congress-led UPA government in 2004, which aimed to keep the BJP out of power. He also criticized the Congress’s handling of the Ram Janmbhoomi movement and the demolition of the Babri Masjid.

“We had supported the Congress Party in 2004, just to keep BJP away from power,” Brittas emphasized. “And we know the vacillations of the Congress Party, and how it cost the country very, very dearly.”

Despite the strong criticism, Brittas expressed confidence that the controversy would not derail opposition unity in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. “We are confident that we will overcome all these issues… I am very optimistic about the days to come,” he said.

Brittas also took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to voice his concerns, suggesting that the Congress party in Kerala was leading Gandhi astray. He added that Kerala was used as their staging ground to attack RSS from the safe zone of Wayanad. He further stated, “what Rahul Gandhi knows about the RSS may well have come from our late leader, Sitaram Yechury.”

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