Home minister P Chidambaram's reference to rise of "saffron terrorism" created uproar in the Lok Sabha today with Shiv Sena and BJP members demanding that he withdraw the statement
Home minister P Chidambaram's reference to rise of "saffron terrorism" created uproar in the Lok Sabha today with Shiv Sena and BJP members demanding that he withdraw the statement allegedly projecting Hindus in poor light.
Shiv Sena members including Chandrakant Khaire, Subhash Wankhede and Ganesh Dudhgaonkar stormed the well during the Zero Hour protesting Chidambaram's statement that a new
phenomenon of "saffron terrorism" involved in many bomb blasts
has been uncovered.
Demanding an apology from the Home Minister, they waved copies of party mouthpiece 'Saamna" and sought withdrawal of
the statement contending 'how could a Hindu be a terrorist in
Hindustan?'
BJP members led by Ananth Kumar were on their feet to support the Shiv Sena members, who later staged a walkout.
Participating in the special discussion later on the situation in the Kashmir Valley, BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi objected to the home minister's reference to 'saffron terrorism'.
Noting that 'saffron' is symbol of peace and cannot be linked to terrorism, Joshi warned that if such language is used against it, there would be a reaction. "May be you are wanting that reaction and that is why you have said it."
Proceedings in the Rajya Sabha were also disrupted briefly when LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan demanded suspension of Question Hour to discuss the issue of rise in saffron terror in the country.
As soon as the house met for the day, Paswan stood up and
wanted to know the fate of his notice for suspension of Question Hour to discuss the rise in saffron terror as pointed out by Chidambaram.
The home minister's comments came against the backdrop of
investigators finding links between Hindu extremist outfits
and at least five bomb blasts in recent years - at Hyderabad's
Mecca Masjid, at Ajmer, Goa, Malegaon in Maharashtra and
Modasa in Gujarat.
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