Madhya Pradesh BJP chief Rakesh Singh was speaking at a rally on Tuesday.
Madhya Pradesh BJP Chief Rakesh Singh had an awkward moment at a rally on Wednesday when he inadvertently said terrorism was all about "sacrifice and devotion". Mr Singh was apparently carried away while delivering a fervent response to critics who have skewered the BJP for giving an election ticket to Pragya Thakur, a self-styled Hindu saint is accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts.
"Saffron can never be terrorism. Anybody who wears saffron can never be a terrorist. Terrorism is the symbol of tyaag, tapasya and balidaan (sacrifice, devotion and offering)," Rakesh Singh had said on Tuesday.
Mr Singh later told NDTV it was "a genuine slip of tongue". He meant to say saffron, a colour considered sacred in Hinduism, is the symbol of sacrifice, devotion and offering.
The saffron-robed Pragya Thakur is an accused in the Malegaon blasts, in which six people were killed and injured around 100. While she has been cleared of the charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act or MCOCA, she still faces charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Many have accused the BJP of trying to polarize the voters through her candidature.
Pragya Thakur's candidacy, challenged in court by the father of one of the victims, has been backed by both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.
Since joining the BJP last week and being named a candidate for the national elections, Pragya Thakur received two notices from the Election Commission due to her controversial comments that have evoked widespread outrage and are seen as a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
In an interview to television channel TV9 over the weekend, the 48-year-old said she was among the people who demolished the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992, and she was "proud" of it.
Days before, she claimed she had "cursed" Hemant Karkare, the police officer who died fighting terrorists during the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.