Saffron terror:Digvijay differs with HM

Saffron terror:Digvijay differs with HM
PTI
NEW DELHI, SEPT 1
Sparring continued within Congress over “saffron terrorism” with Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday maintaining that his use of the phrase brought home the message of right-wing terror and senior leader Digvijay Singh saying he has objection to such words.
Days after Congress party distanced itself from his remarks on saffron terror, Chidambaram said the party was supreme and he had no patent on the phrase – saffron terrorism – which has been used by two of his colleagues in UPA.
Addressing a press conference, Chidambaram said there has been indication that right-wing fundamentalist groups were suspected to be behind some of the recent bomb blasts in the country.
Senior leader Digvijay Singh, who was originally credited the use of the term “saffron terror”, today said “I have objection to the use of caste, colour and religion to describe terror”.
“Terrorism can’t be related to any colour, creed or religion. The Congress party media Chairman has taken the right stand that colour cannot be related to any acts of terrorism,” he told reporters.
Singh, however, said “terrorism in the country arises from fundamentalists among the Hindus and Muslims”.
When BJP and Shiv Sena raised the issue of minister’s remarks in Parliament, Dwivedi had said that terror has no colour and that care should be taken on use of words.
The Home Minister said the phrase was used by a number of people in the past, including a few members of UPA and there was a debate on in Parliament on ‘saffronisation of education’ in 2001.
“A number of others have used the phrase. I have been told that a number of my colleagues in the UPA have used the phrase in the past. So, I can’t claim patent over that phrase,” he said.
Wading into the controversy, BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said there is no word such as “saffron terror” and the party had made clear its stand in both Houses of Parliament.