Citing a series of comments from the Congress on “saffron terror”, the BJP on Friday suggested that the charges against an extremist Hindutva organisation in the Samjhauta Express and Malegaon blast cases could be the result of the then UPA Government's “political prejudice” and its “vote bank politics”.
The party said “new facts” have come to light that were accessed by the then Government but “never presented” before the court or public. It charged the Congress of “communalising” the serious issue of terrorism.
Addressing a Press conference here, party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi referred to the Ishrat Jahan case and asked the Congress to explain if then Home Minister Chidambaram had informed the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chief Sonia Gandhi about the reason behind the change in the first affidavit.
He cited RTI replies, comments of the then officials connected with these probes, Intelligence of foreign agencies and court proceedings to allege that the UPA Government's actions have come under “deep suspicion”.
“Use of such phrases by top Congress leaders almost one-and-a-half-year before the cases were properly transferred (to National Investigation Agency), when there was no probe report or court's proceedings raises a big question about their intentions and makes it appear that this was not the natural outcome of the investigation. “It appears to be a deliberate attempt caused by your (Congress) vote bank politics and political prejudice,” he told a Press conference.
Trivedi alleged that the phrase, “saffron terror” was first used in 2009 and then Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had reportedly said in an interaction in July 2010 that “Hindu terrorism” was more dangerous than other terrorism.
P Chidambaram used the same phrase in Parliament in August 2010, Trivedi alleged, and wondered if this was a mere coincidence. He also referred to Congress leader Digvijay Singh releasing a book that had “linked RSS to 26/11 Mumabi terror attack”.
He said the BJP was not responding to the legal aspect of the cases and their investigation, but only highlighting political comments made by Congress leaders.