New Delhi, (DHNS): Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday hit back at the Congress stating that even before the probe into the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh began, the AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi publicly alleged that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and right-wing ideology were responsible for the ghastly act.

Speaking to reporters at the BJP's Ashok Road headquarters here, the Union Minister lamented that "mala fide comments" are being made which would end up prejudicing investigation into "unfortunate" and "regrettable" murder of the journalist outside her house in Bengaluru.

"Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah must make it clear what would the state police investigate if the Congress vice president has already declared some people as guilty," Prasad wondered. He wanted to know from Siddaramaiah whether he seconded Rahul's comment and why the Congress government did not provide security to Gauri.

"The BJP condemns every murder but there are certain questions the Karnataka government needs to answer... Indrajit Lankesh is on record having said publicly that his sister was working actively to ensure the surrender of Naxalites...so was she doing it with consent and approval of the state government...and if so why was she not provided adequate security?," Prasad asked.

He raised the murder of RSS functionaries in Kerala and Karnataka and questioned what he described "double standards of so-called liberals" while stating that the BJP respects people's right to express their views. "Why is that all my liberal friends who speak so eloquently and strongly against the killing of a journalist... maintain conspicuous silence when so many RSS and BJP workers were killed in Karnataka and Kerala," the minister stressed.

The RSS and the BJP workers, he stated, too are entitled to human rights.