Strongly objecting to the reported remarks by AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi to US ambassador Timothy Roemer, the Sangh Parivar on Friday alleged that Mr Gandhi was making “wild charges” against Hindus. According to Wikileaks cable, Mr Gandhi had told US ambassador in 2009 that Hindu extremists posed a bigger threat than terror outfits like LeT.
While the RSS was of the view that there was a “race” among Congress top brass to project Hindus as terrorists, BJP said “in one stroke” Mr Gandhi gave a “big leverage” to the propaganda of all terror groups in Pakistan. Senior VHP leader Pravin Togadia demanded an “unconditional apology” from both Mr Gandhi and the Congress for “humiliating, insinuating and degrading” Hindus.
Condemning Mr Gandhi’s remarks, BJP chief 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.” He claimed: “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.” Mr Prasad claimed 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 the AICC general secretary 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.
Later, Mr Prasad reacted to a clarification issued by Mr Gandhi, saying, “The issue is not about the patriotic credentials of Rahul Gandhi or his family. The issue is of the lack of understanding of the Congress General Secretary about the problems and challenges even as he is being projected as Prime Minister material by Congress leaders.”
Senior BJP leader and party’s Madhya Pradesh unit chief Prabhat Jha said Mr Gandhi’s remarks shows his “lack of maturity.”
Meanwhile, senior RSS leader Ram Madhav said: “It is shocking that there is a race in the senior Congress leadership to indirectly or directly support jihadi terror and to project Hindus as terrorists in this country, that too in gross violation of established diplomatic norms and procedures.”