Cong distances itself from 'saffron' terror remarks

Apparently worried over the fallout of the controversy over Home Minister P Chidambaram’s remarks on “saffron terrorism”, the Congress today appeared to distance itself from them saying, terror had no colour and that care should be taken on use of words.

As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena kicked up a row over Chidambaram’s words at a conference of state police chiefs on Wednesday and demanded an apology from him, Congress General Secretary Janardhan Dwivedi stepped in to do some damage control, and said: “As far as saffron or bhagwa or kesariya (other words for saffron) it was not an issue then. The issue was terrorism. Terrorism does not have colour. Terrorism has only one colour and it is black. Whatever colour terrorism may be associated with. whatever you call it saffron, saffron, green, white or red, can you associate it with one colour.”

Dwivedi said “terrorism is terrorism and in whatever form it comes it should be opposed. Saffron colour has been part our ancient tradition and is associated with our freedom struggle. No particular section of the society has sole right on it.”

On Wednesday, Chidambaram said “there is the recently uncovered phenomenon of saffron terrorism that has been implicated” in many bomb blasts.

Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray, executive president of the Shiv Sena, a BJP ally, today attacked Chidambaram over his remark and said “Hindus cannot be terrorists but they can, at best, be revolutionaries”.

“The person who does not understand that terrorism or terrorists are of no colours but they are terrorists. Thus, he should not sit on the home minister’s chair. The Congress should sack him as home minister immediately.” he told Business Standard.

Uddhav claimed Chidambaram had lost the right to continue as the home minister as he had been quite prejudiced in his action and thinking. “If he continues to assume the home minister’s post, it will be dangerous for the country as a whole. He will be vindictive and, thus, the Congress party should take his resignation.” He reiterated that terrorists have no colour and they should be dealt with firmly.

Also, Uddhav dared the Congress party to clarify its stand on saffron terrorism.