New Delhi, Aug 25: Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday said a new phenomenon of saffron terrorism has been uncovered in many bomb blasts.
Addressing DGP and IGPs of the states here, Chidambaram said: “There is no let up in the attempts to radicalise young men and women in India. Besides, there is the recently uncovered phenomenon of saffron terrorism that has been implicated in many bomb blasts of the past.”
“The phenomenon does not mean that the threat of terrorist attacks has gone away.” he said while referring to the involvement of Hindu radical outfits in several bombs blasts across the country. He said that the Government must remain ever vigilant and continue to build at the Central and State levels, our capacity to counter-terrorism. “Besides, there is the recently uncovered phenomenon of saffron terrorism that has been implicated in many bomb blasts,” he said.
 Pertinently, the involvement of various Hindu outfits associated to RSS and other groups patronised by BJP has reportedly surfaced during investigations in various blasts targeting Muslims and Muslim places of worship across the country. Some of these include Samjauta Express blast, Malegaon blast, Ajmer Sharif blast and the Mecca Masjid blast in Hyderabad.
 Reacting to the Home Minister’s statement, BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said: “The country is witnessing a lot of chaos. Chidambaram needs an excuse to divert the attention of the nation.
 “The government, led by Sonia Gandhi (United Progressive Alliance chairperson), Manmohan Singh (prime minister) and Chidambaram, has messed up on every front, whether it is international dialogue, disturbances in Kashmir, leftwing extremism or the Commonwealth Games. They are now trying to divert the attention of the nation,” he alleged.
 Stating that terrorism was not linked to any religion, Rudy accused the government of targeting Hindus.
 “Terrorism cannot be attached to any religion. Individuals may be terrorists,” he said. “By using the term ‘saffron terror’, he has directly targeted the Hindus. It is part of the government’s appeasement policy.”

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