WikiLeaks: BJP says Rahul Gandhi remarks impinge upon India's fight on terror

The BJP today condemned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks that radicalised Hindu groups could pose a "bigger threat" to India than the LeT and said "in one stroke", he has given a "big leverage" to the propaganda of all terror groups in Pakistan.

Strongly objecting to the remarks made to US ambassador Timothy Roemer, as claimed by a WikiLeaks cable, BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad said, "It is irresponsible. It is in the public domain and the US government has neither denied nor confirmed it. Therefore, it has sanctity."

"In one stroke, Rahul Gandhi has sought to give a big leverage to the propaganda of all terror groups operating from Pakistan and certain segments of the Pakistan establishment," he said.

Prasad said such remarks impinge upon India's strategic security and fight against terrorism.

"If he sees a fringe radical Hindu group as the biggest threat in spite of so many terrorist attacks including 26/11 in which involvement of Pakistani groups is confirmed, then it only underscores how ignorant he is about India and its problems," the BJP leader said.

The party also attacked him for making such remarks to a foreign diplomat and not before the Indian Parliament and said the opposition would take up the issue in next Parliament session and also before the people.

Prasad said the statement "underscores how little Rahul Gandhi knows about India. The PM has publicly acknowledged that Maoism and terrorist threat from across the border are the biggest challenges before India and Rahul Gandhi says certain lunatic, marginalised Hindu radical groups are the biggest threat."

Senior opposition leader Prakash Javadekar said the statement shows "crass communalism and jaundiced world view".

According to a secret US diplomatic cable from New Delhi released by WikiLeaks, at a luncheon hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence in July 2009, the Congress General Secretary was asked by the US ambassador about LeT's activities in the region and immediate threat to India.

"Gandhi said there was evidence of some support for the group among certain elements in India's indigenous Muslim community," the cable notes.

"However, Gandhi warned, the bigger threat may be the growth of radicalised Hindu groups, which create religious tensions and political confrontations with the Muslim community," it says.