Countrywide protest against Shinde’s remarks
DEMANDING unconditional apology from Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde over his remarks about Hindu terrorism and terrorist training in RSS-BJP camps, the BJP activists staged countrywide demonstrations on January 24. There are reports of protest from all parts of the country. In Delhi, the protest was organised at Jantar Mantar, where the workers burnt the effigy of Home Minister. BJP national president Rajnath Singh and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Smt Sushma Swaraj addressed the workers.
Strongly condemning the Home Minister’s statement, RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Dr Manmohan Vaidya said the allegation by Shri Shinde is totally false, baseless, irresponsible and politically motivated. In a press statement he said by labelling terrorism with Hinduism, the Home Minister and the Congress Party have severely insulted the entire Hindu society which has a global reputation of living with peace and amity. Also by calling it ‘saffron terrorism’ they have humiliated the most revered ‘Sanyasi’ tradition of Bharat. “The RSS demands the Home Minister and the Congress Party to tender unconditional apology to Hindu society for their unfounded and objectionable charges,” he said.
Dr Vaidya further said while the entire nation is struggling to counter Pak-sponsored extremism and is losing the precious lives of brave security personnel in this fight, the immature and irresponsible statements by Union Home Minister has not only boosted the morale of the Pak terrorists but also unfortunately demoralised the Indian security forces, and thereby weakened the fight against terrorism at the international level. While the investigation of some of the terror acts is in progress the conclusion of which is still awaited, the misleading statement of the Home Minister is a politically motivated conspiracy to influence the very process of investigation.
Meanwhile, a defamation case has been filed against Shri Shinde in a Delhi Court. The petition, filed by a Delhi resident VP Kumar through his counsel Monika Arora, said the Home Minister had ‘wilfully’ made the ‘derogatory’ remarks to cause ill will and hatred among communities. The complaint has been filed before the Metropolitan Magistrate Amitabh Rawat, who has fixed the matter for further consideration on January 28.
RSS National Executive Member Shri Ram Madhav took strong exception to Home Secretary’s comment on the issue. “We take strong objection to the statement of Union Home Secretary. His haste in rushing to the defence of his political masters is inexplicable. The debate going on in the country was about a statement made in a Party conclave. Why should the Home Secretary respond to it?” questioned Shri Madhav.
He asked how can the Home Secretary declare that those, who are merely the ‘accused’ in these cases, can be conclusively said to be involved? In that case every accused, whether it was a Minister or a politician, be deemed as a culprit? “He has deliberately hidden the fact that there were accusations, but the investigations are still inconclusive and the NIA, after three years, doesn’t seem to have any clue or evidence against the accused. He is also hiding the fact that there were many other people ‘involved’ who were arrested and charge sheeted in all these cases before some Hindu youths were implicated without any evidence. He is also hiding the fact that even the US and UN Security Council had held certain Pakistanis as the accused in Samjhauta train blast. We strongly deny his statement that all those ‘involved’ in these blasts (according to him) were associated with the RSS. It is clearly defamatory. We make the counter accusation that the Home Secretary had crossed his brief and attempted to influence the investigation into these cases through this statement on a matter which is sub judice. We will call for a legal remedy to his defamatory and extra-legal statement,” he said demanding the Home Secretary to release the names of all those ‘involved’ in all the blasts in the country in the last several years. If he can do this in five cases why not in 50?” asked Shri Madhav.
(FOC)
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