 | « Back to article | Print this article |
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday defended senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha leader Indresh Kumar and accused ruling Congress of getting his name included in the Ajmer Blast case chargesheet as part of a "conspiracy" to lay grounds for banning the Sangh.
Describing Kumar as "a nationalist", the party said it is ready accept "the fight" and warned of consequences if he or "any" RSS worker is arrested in the case.
"Why (is there a) conspiracy against Indresh Kumar and Sangh? We all are aware of its answer. This is not a first attempt. Congress party, which has so far considered the politics as a medium to enjoy power, has a history of dividing the country for its vote bank politics...," BJP General Secretary J P Nadda charged.
"RSS has witnessed ban on it before. First after assassination of Mahatma Gandhi...during emergency also, they (Congress) tried to put ban on Sangh when it was struggling over basic issues. This is the beginning of (Congress') third attempt," he alleged.
Nadda was addressing a public discussion organised by Delhi Study Group on 'Conspiracy to Defame Indresh and RSS' in New Delhi. He said Kumar was not only a Pracharak of RSS but also a nationalist who worked for minority community including Muslims too.
"He made efforts for uplifting Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir." The BJP leader charged Congress with "political intolerance" and alleged that Kumar's name was dragged in the Ajmer blast case chargesheet as the ruling party could not "digest" the "desperation" of Muslims for joining hands with "nationalist forces" due to the efforts made by Kumar after Ayodhya verdict.
"After Ayodhya verdict, Indresh had convened a meeting of famous Maulvis and Kazis of the country under the aegis of Muslim Rastravadi Manch. I had not expected that the meeting will last for six hours and Muslims will openly speak against Congress," he said.
"This was the proof of the fact that those (Muslims) whom Congress kept away from mainstream for its vote bank politics, are today desperate to move forward joining hands with nationalist forces. This could not be digested by Congress and so under a conspiracy, this is an attempt to carry forward its vote bank politics," Nadda alleged.
He said party accepts "this fight". "We are offensive. We will bring the things to light." Addressing the programme, BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "I would say that they (government) do not have such capacity that they could arrest Indreshji or any worker of the Sangh (in the case). They know what will happen to them if they make any such attempt."
Naqvi attacked Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi and accused them of weakening India's war on terror by "coining the word saffron terror".
"The entire world including America began to believe when we said that Pakistan-sponsored terrorism is spread in every nook and corner of India. Outfits like Lashkar-e-Tayiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Al Qaeda have spread their fangs and set up their centres in various parts of India," he said.
Congress government had to fight terrorism but "sidelined" the issue, he alleged. "One word bhagwa (saffron) came to the mind of mother and son (Sonia Gandhi and Rahul) and they propagated this (saffron) terrorism across the country. Home Minister started seeing saffron terror while sleeping, dreaming and remaining awake," he said.
"Pakistan today asks whether it should believe what the Indian government is saying or the BJP, pointing out that earlier you used to claim that they (Pakistan) were sponsoring terrorism but now Indian government is saying there is saffron terrorism," the BJP leader said.
Naqvi accused Congress of being the "biggest well-wisher and protector" of terrorism and Naxalism in the country and alleged that it never wants them to end for its "vote bank politics".
Senior BJP leader Balbir Punj alleged that it does not appear that there is any difference between Congress and Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI. "Both (Congress and ISI) want to divide India.
Agenda of Congress and Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI is overlapping and becoming one. It is a matter of serious concern for the people of the country.
"The country is not safe at the hands of this government," he charged. He alleged that Congress is "raking up" the issue of saffron terror as its general secretary has taken it as "question of prestige" for him to revive his party in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh "after Ayodhya verdict".