The RSS may invite Congress president Rahul Gandhi to attend a three-day lecture series by Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat in New Delhi next month, sources in the organisation said today.


The idea is to invite people from different ideologies for the event, a source in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh said, adding that the list is being prepared and may also include CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury.


Indications that Gandhi could be invited came on a day the RSS criticised him for drawing parallels between the Sangh and Islamic radical outfit Muslim Brotherhood.


Giving details of the September event, RSS prachar pramukh Arun Kumar said the Sangh was for the first time organising a three-day lecture series of its chief Mohan Bhagwat on the theme, 'Future of Bharat: An RSS perspective'.


"Bhagwatji will address and interact with select audience comprising prominent citizens on 'Future of Bharat: An RSS perspective' in a three-day lecture series," Kumar told reporters. The event will be held at Vigyan Bhavan from September 17 to September 19. Kumar said people across the country wanted to know and associate with the RSS.


Replying to a question on whether Gandhi will also be invited, Kumar said the list had not been finalised. "It is our prerogative to choose who to invite or not. Leave this to us... But people from all walks of life, including from different political outfits, ideologies and religions, will be invited," he said.


In June this year, Congress veteran and former president Pranab Mukherjee attended an event at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur on the Sangh's invitation, for which he was criticised by the party leaders. The RSS, an ideological mentor of BJP, was the focus of Gandhi's attack during his recent visit abroad. -- PTI