New Delhi: Main opposition Congress party took strong exception to the statement of Home Minister Rajnath Singh on ‘Hindu terror’, describing it cheap attempts to divert attention of the country from the government failure to deal with cross-border terrorism. And it also said that the ruling party also getting jittery following the NIA’s conclusion that those involved in Mecca Masjid, Samjhauta Express and other blast cases had some direct or indirect link with the Sangh Parivar.
On Friday Rajnath Singh told the Lok Sabha that: “In this House in 2013, the then home minister (P Chidambaram) had coined the new terminology ‘Hindu terrorism’ in order to change the course of probe (into acts of terrorism). It weakened our fight.”
Briefing the media on Saturday, leader of opposition in the Upper House of Parliament and Senior Congress Leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said it is an unsuccessful and cheap attempt on the part of BJP Government to divert attention of the nation from its failures to effectively deal with the menace of cross-border terrorism.
“I think what BJP is worried about, what is hurting the BJP is that NIA, in its investigation, in Malegaon blast, Mecca Masjid blast, Samjhauta Express blast and others, had come to the conclusion that those involved in theses blasts had some direct or indirect association with the ruling party or RSS. So the BJP is worried as to where that trail will lead to”.
In response to a question he alleged “It is deliberate attempt by the Home Minister to divide the country, to deflect the attention of the nation, to rake up the debate of Hindu vs Muslim, to use the forum of Parliament to malign and defame the Congress party, and above all once again instigate the narrative of polarization”.
Azad said it seems to be main reason behind government’s alleged nudge to the NIA to go slow on these cases.
“Which is why the NIA has been directed to go slow on that trial and this is not me who is saying this? The Lawyer, who is representing NIA, has publicly, through Press Conference, the contents of which have appeared in the Media said that NIA has been told to go slow. Why – go slow, who is involved?”
Special Public Prosecutor Ms Rohini Salian in the ‘2008 Malegaon Blast Case’ had made shocking revelations that after NDA government came to power last year i.e. 2014, a NIA officer came and spoke to her in person saying she should go soft in the case.
Referring to Salian’s revelations, Congress leader asked the media why it did not chase the story for unraveling the identity of NIA officer.
“Who are behind there and which individual in the Government, which person in the Government has told NIA to go slow and why should not the media raise this issue? Should not the Media make this an issue, should not the Supreme Court take notice of this”?
Hitting out at the Home Minister for blaming the Congress Party to weaken the country’s stand against terrorism, Azad asserted that, India’s fight against terror got weakened long back when three dreaded terrorist were escorted to Kandahar by the former External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh in the NDA-1 Government, and in a meek surrender handed over to the enemies of the country.
Azad also referred to a recently released book of A. S. Dulat, former Director of R.A.W. wherein a graphic account of the whole episode is given. How can the BJP give lectures to Congress? Azad wondered.
Commenting on Rajnath Singh’s allegation about coining the term ‘Hindu Terror’, he said the statement of the former Home Minister P Chidambaram has been quoted out of context because it is a deliberate attempt on the part of the Government and the BJP.
Azad said that the then Home Minister of the UPA Govt, in the wake of increased a terrorist violence in the country, had tried to bring home the point that certain interested political parties are attributing it to a particular religion and using phrases like “Islamic terrorism”, “Muslim Terrorism”, etc. which is not correct as during the course of investigations in Mecca Masjid Blast, Malegaon Blast and other blasts, NIA had come to the conclusion that there were members of other religions who were involved in those blasts.
To explain that terror has no religion or colour, the then Home Minister had simply asked to party workers “Would you call it Hindu terror”?
To substantiate his point, Azad asked, who killed Indira Gandhi, who killed Rajiv Gandhi, who killed V.C. shukla? The latest attempt by the BJP Govt is to divide the country and polarize the society.
He also alleged said that the polarization in the country on religious lines has aggravated ever since the BJP has come to power in May 2014.
On Tripura Governor’s remark that all those people who have attended the funeral of Yakub Memon might be the potential terrorists, Azad said he would like to tell the Home Minister of India that which party is associated with him. That is most important. What action the Government is going to take?