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LAHORE/NEW DELHI: Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed latched onto home minister Sushilkumar Shinde's comments on " saffron terrorism" being fomented by BJP and RSS training camps to claim charges leveled against LeT with regard to 26/11 were false.
The controversy over Shinde's remarks at the Jaipur Congress meeting was refused to die down as the Lashkar boss - accused by India of masterminding the terror attacks on Mumbai - said "Indian propaganda" against Pakistani organization stood exposed.
According to a PTI report, Saeed said "India tried to involve us in the Mumbai attacks but after a passage of five years, nothing has been established against us." He further demanded Pakistan take steps to declare India a "terrorist state".
An angry BJP, already demanding Shinde's resignation, said his "irresponsible remarks" have caused immense damage to India while the RSS said the home minister was a "darling of terrorists" as Lashkar had congratulated him.
"Naturally Saeed made use of Shinde's comments. As home minister, he must realize that he cannot play to some gallery. Shinde has behaved in an absolutely irresponsible manner," said BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar.
Saeed's intervention is embarrassing for the government as it has always taken the line that terror has no religion, either Islamic, Hindu or any other. Shinde's grandstanding seems to have landed the government in a spot as he specifically spoke of "saffron terrorism" and linked RSS and BJP to blasts in Malegaon, Mecca Masjid and Samjhauta Express.
Shinde found the support of his party colleague Digvijaya Singh who said the allegations he has been leveling for years have been proved right by the home minister. Parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath said the BJP reactions are intended to turn the focus away from its internal bickering.
BJP and RSS, however, show no intention of letting Shinde get away and on Monday mounted a scathing attack calling for a nation-wide protest on January 24 and warning to take it up in a big way when Parliament meets for the Budget session. Shinde is leader of the House in Lok Sabha.
Asked if BJP will boycott Shinde as had finance minister P Chidambaram over the 2G spectrum, BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "The party has yet to work out its strategy on this."
RSS took on Shinde, calling him a "darling of real terrorists" and noting that Lashkar has "congratulated" the home minister for the remark.
Describing Shinde as a "lightweight" home minister, Prasad demanded an unconditional apology from Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over Shinde's allegation.
"Sushilkumar Shinde must be sacked and the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi must tender an unconditional apology," Prasad said. "BJP shall not tolerate this repeated insult of Hindu and saffron traditions of India," he said, adding, the party has never linked religion with terror as terrorists had no religion.
RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav took strong exception to Shinde's "insensitive" remark, calling it "unpardonable" and said it could also influence investigations in Malegaon and Samjhauta blasts cases.
"Today, Jamaat-ud-Dawa congratulated Shinde. Now, he has become the darling of real terrorists. It is Shinde who is helping our enemies by such statements. Now, even the LeT has welcomed his statement I am told," Madhav tweeted.
Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said, "Shinde has to prove what he has said otherwise he has to withdraw the remark or apologise."
JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav fumed over Shinde's comment and said on that terror has no religion and asked the home minister to act if he has any such knowledge. "It is the government's responsibility to provide security. The home minister's job is to ensure peace and not issue statements," he said.
Hafiz Saeed denies 26/11 role, cites Shinde - The Times of India
The controversy over Shinde's remarks at the Jaipur Congress meeting was refused to die down as the Lashkar boss - accused by India of masterminding the terror attacks on Mumbai - said "Indian propaganda" against Pakistani organization stood exposed.
According to a PTI report, Saeed said "India tried to involve us in the Mumbai attacks but after a passage of five years, nothing has been established against us." He further demanded Pakistan take steps to declare India a "terrorist state".
An angry BJP, already demanding Shinde's resignation, said his "irresponsible remarks" have caused immense damage to India while the RSS said the home minister was a "darling of terrorists" as Lashkar had congratulated him.
"Naturally Saeed made use of Shinde's comments. As home minister, he must realize that he cannot play to some gallery. Shinde has behaved in an absolutely irresponsible manner," said BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar.
Saeed's intervention is embarrassing for the government as it has always taken the line that terror has no religion, either Islamic, Hindu or any other. Shinde's grandstanding seems to have landed the government in a spot as he specifically spoke of "saffron terrorism" and linked RSS and BJP to blasts in Malegaon, Mecca Masjid and Samjhauta Express.
Shinde found the support of his party colleague Digvijaya Singh who said the allegations he has been leveling for years have been proved right by the home minister. Parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath said the BJP reactions are intended to turn the focus away from its internal bickering.
BJP and RSS, however, show no intention of letting Shinde get away and on Monday mounted a scathing attack calling for a nation-wide protest on January 24 and warning to take it up in a big way when Parliament meets for the Budget session. Shinde is leader of the House in Lok Sabha.
Asked if BJP will boycott Shinde as had finance minister P Chidambaram over the 2G spectrum, BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "The party has yet to work out its strategy on this."
RSS took on Shinde, calling him a "darling of real terrorists" and noting that Lashkar has "congratulated" the home minister for the remark.
Describing Shinde as a "lightweight" home minister, Prasad demanded an unconditional apology from Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over Shinde's allegation.
"Sushilkumar Shinde must be sacked and the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi must tender an unconditional apology," Prasad said. "BJP shall not tolerate this repeated insult of Hindu and saffron traditions of India," he said, adding, the party has never linked religion with terror as terrorists had no religion.
RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav took strong exception to Shinde's "insensitive" remark, calling it "unpardonable" and said it could also influence investigations in Malegaon and Samjhauta blasts cases.
"Today, Jamaat-ud-Dawa congratulated Shinde. Now, he has become the darling of real terrorists. It is Shinde who is helping our enemies by such statements. Now, even the LeT has welcomed his statement I am told," Madhav tweeted.
Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said, "Shinde has to prove what he has said otherwise he has to withdraw the remark or apologise."
JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav fumed over Shinde's comment and said on that terror has no religion and asked the home minister to act if he has any such knowledge. "It is the government's responsibility to provide security. The home minister's job is to ensure peace and not issue statements," he said.
Hafiz Saeed denies 26/11 role, cites Shinde - The Times of India
