BJP shreds Congress for comment linking 2002 riots to Indian Mujahideen

New Delhi: The BJP today shredded the suggestion by senior Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed  that the terror group Indian Mujahideen was formed in reaction to the communal riots in Gujarat in 2002.

"A Congress Party spokesperson went to the extraordinary extent of rationalising  the formation and existence of the Indian Mujahideen," senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley wrote in an article today. (Read full article here)

He described Mr Ahmed's comment as an "effort is to somehow paint the Indian Mujahideen as an organisation of the aggrieved who are victims of riots in Gujarat. ...this is yet another desperate attempt to communalise an issue of national security."

Though the Congress has distanced itself from Mr Ahmed's original tweet, Digvijaya Singh appeared unwilling to let the controversy fade away. "BJP's actions have always been anti-Muslim. They have always indulged in divisive politics, nothing new in this," he said, also on Twitter, adding,  "Arun Jaitley should ask this question from his mentor Narendra Modi."

Mr Modi was in his first term as chief minister when hundreds of Muslims were killed in one of  the worst communal riots since the partition.

Advertisement

On Sunday morning, Mr Ahmed stirred the political cauldron by tweeting, "The Indian Mujahideen was formed after Gujarat riots, says NIA in its chargesheet. Even now BJP and RSS will not desist from their communal politics?" (Read)

He was referring to a chargesheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) after 10 serial blasts took place at Bodh Gaya in Bihar earlier this month.

Advertisement

The BJP alleges that his remarks gravely undermine India's repeated attempts to urge Pakistan to check terrorism.   

Referring to the inception of the Mujahideen, Mr Jaitley wrote, "Pakistan wanted to create an organization which appeared to be Indian and have a lot of Indian operatives.  ...  its Indian credentials gave to Pakistan a scope for deniability every time a terrorist attack took place."

Advertisement

At a workshop for Congress spokespersons today, vice-president Rahul Gandhi warned that "Spokespersons and panelists may have their individual views, but as party spokespersons and panelists you have to be within party line. We cannot go beyond party ideology. Those who go beyond will be noticed and action will be taken." (Read)