Bengaluru: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah on Wednesday April 18, blamed All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Rahul Gandhi for defaming the Hindus and India by using the term ‘Hindu Terror’ and `Saffron Terror’ in the aftermath of Mecca Masjid bomb blast case verdict.
Addressing a convention of BJP Shakthi Kendra Pramukhs here, Shah called upon the party rank and file to make it a poll issue in the state to punish Congress. “I appeal people of Karantaka to punish Rahul and Congress party in the forthcoming Assembly polls in the state if the Congress leadership refuses to tender an apology for insulting the Hindus and India,’’ Shah said.
The BJP national president’s attack comes in the backdrop of a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court acquitting all accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case in Hyderabad, the BJP has demanded an apology from Congress president Rahul Gandhi and former ministers Sushil Kumar Shinde and P Chidambaram for allegedly using the term “saffron terror” behind the blast.
Citing a 2009 telegram, exchanged allegedly between then US Ambassador to India Tim Roemer and US State Department, Shah said that Rahul Gandhi had told the US envoy about presence of “Hindu Terror”, “Saffron Terror” in the country.
Congress had been defaming the Hindu community over the years by misleading the people about presence of “Hindu Terror”. The acquittal of the accused by the court in the Mecca Masjid blast case for lack of evidence has exposed Congress’ lies. “Rahul Gandhi should apologise for the insult he has heaped on the great Hindu religion and culture,” Shah demanded.
Shah who is on a two-day visit to state instructed his party workers and leaders to take the issue to the people during their campaign in the state and “explain how Congress slapped false cases against innocent people and sent them to jail in the name of ‘Hindu Terror’.”
“Make Rahul apologise or convey the message that the people of the state would not forgive him,” Shah said.
The great Hindu culture taught the world about peace and civilisation for lakhs of years, and the Congress has committed a sin by linking it to saffron terror, Shah said and called upon people of Karnataka to punish Congress for the insult heaped on Hindus.
Launching a blistering attack on Siddaramaiah government Shah said law and order in the state has collapsed, government has turned a blind eye to murder of RSS and BJP activists. He assured that the killers would be punished even if they are “hiding in Patal (underground) once BJP comes to power.”
