More Sanghi terror attacks than jehadi strikes since 2000: Diggy Raja

by Guest Sat Aug 06, 2011 6:10 pm

Digvijaya Singh, 64, batting like Yusuf Pathan while leading Congress
into the slog overs before the UP elections, triggering one controversy
after another with his statements, spoke to HT on Wednesday at his Bhopal house. He played on the front foot throughout this interview,
launching fresh attacks on RSS and Baba Ramdev, saying
Hindu fundamentalist terror had lately posed a bigger threat to the
country than the jihadi variety.Excerpts:

Calling Bin Laden respectfully Osama-ji…

You haven’t seen the actual statement I had made. You’re going by
press reports. My statement was: ‘I’m very happy that US has been able
to eliminate the most dreaded terrorist in the world today.’ As a
sarcastic comment, I added: ‘I’m very surprised that within 100 yards of
the Pakistani army military academy, Osama-ji has been staying, and the
establishment does not know.’ Why should I call a dreaded terrorist
Osama-ji?

Are you playing minority appeasement politics?

Why should I? As chief minister, I have taken action against both
Bajrang Dal and SIMI. I hold both fundamentalist Hindu and
fundamentalist Muslim –– or even fundamentalist Christian or Sikh
thought to be the biggest challenge to communal harmony in this country.
I don’t play cards. When the CM [Shivraj Singh Chouhan] holds
conferences where he is felicitated by Muslims, that is not
tushti-karan?? When I went to Azamgarh, I was opposed by the Ulema
Council on one side and RSS-BJP on the other. When I went to Silchar,
Barak Valley of Assam, my effigy was burnt both by AUDF [formerly Assam
United Democratic Front] and BJP. As far as I and the Congress are
concerned, we speak up against fundamentalism, whether it is Hindu or
Muslim doesn’t matter.

Can one compare the scale of Hindu terror groups with global Islamic terror?

The scale is the same in this country. Malegaon 1 and 2, Modasa,
Hyderabad Mecca Masjid, Ajmer Sharif dargah, Samjhauta Express…all these
have been proven to be acts of fundamentalist Hindus. In Nanded,
Parvani, Jalna, Mhow in Indore, Nimach, Bhopal…the blasts and attempts
were done by these people. In fact, from 2000 to 2011, there have been
more bomb blasts by Hindu fundamentalists than Muslim fundamentalists.
Ever since these people were caught in 2008, where are the bomb blasts?
Why say Hindu terrorists, Sanghi terrorists. Sorry.
Uma Bharti has crossed swords with you in UP. Are you scared?

Uma Bharati is an absolute loose cannon. When she left BJP, she
abused party leaders to the extent that she said I would not be sincere
to my parents if I go back to BJP. From Day One I have been saying that
she won’t find shelter anywhere and will come back to the BJP.

How many seats do you think Congress will get in UP and where do you think these votes will comes from?

We’ll improve our tally to a level to which you will be surprised.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/More-Sanghi-terror-attacks-than-jihadi-strikes-since-2000/Article1-709762.aspx