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'Hindu terrorism' coined by UPA, weakened India's stand on terrorism: Rajnath in Lok Sabha

By FnF Correspondent | PUBLISHED: 31, Jul 2015, 17:27 pm IST | UPDATED: 31, Jul 2015, 17:30 pm IST

'Hindu terrorism' coined by UPA, weakened India's stand on terrorism: Rajnath in Lok Sabha New Delhi: Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday asked all political parties to present a united front to the world against terrorism.

"Terrorism is terrorism, it has no religion, no caste," Rajnath Singh said while making a statement in the Lok Sabha on the July 27 Gurdaspur terrorist attack.

Hitting out at Congress, Rajnath Singh said the term "Hindu terrorism" coined by its previous UPA government had "weakened" the fight against the scourge by diverting the direction of probe into the incidents of terrorism.

After making the statement, Rajnath raked up a host of issues, including Sharm-el Sheikh fiasco and statements at Havana NAM Summit besides the 1962 war with China, to underline Congress' alleged failures, adding fuel to fire in the protests.

Singh's statement on the Gurdaspur attack was heard in rapt attention with Congress members suspending their protests and returning to their seats from the well after the leader of the party Mallikarjun Kharge asked him to do so.

But as soon as he concluded his statement, Congress members again stormed the well and it was a scene of protests and disruptions in the House as seen from day one of the monsoon session over the Lalit Modi and Vyapam issues.

This prompted Singh to attack the Congress. "Terrorism is the biggest challenge facing the country. Neither Parliament nor the country should appear divided on this... On the one hand, our jawans making the supreme sacrifice while fighting against terror, on the other we have this noise and disruption. How can the country accept this," he said.

Expressing readiness to answer any question on the issue if proper notice is given for a discussion, he said, "Our government and the Prime Minister are constantly making efforts to deal with the challenge."

As the protests intensified, he hit back, "In this House in 2013, the then home minister (P Chidambaram) had coined the new terminology 'Hindu terrorism' in order to change the direction of probe. It weakened our fight. As a consequence, Hafiz Sayeed (LeT founder) of Pakistan had congratulated the then home minister. Our government will never allow such a shameful situation again."

Livid Congress members wanted to react but were not allowed by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, prompting angry protests by the opposition lawmakers, many of whom were seen waving the rule book to make their point.

"This is very unfortunate. You are losing our respect," Kharge was heard remarking amid the din. Opposiiton members crowded around her table to draw her attention that she should allow Kharge to speak but in vain.
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