Digvijay's 'BJP-ISIS' comment serious threat to nation's unity, says Naidu

A day after Congress leader Digvijay Singh raked in controversy attributing the stronghold of ISIS to "radicalisation" by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saffron party leader M. Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday expressed shock, citing the former's comment is a bigger threat to the unity and integrity of our country that that of even ISIS.

"It is shocking that senior Congress leader and former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh for 10 years, Shri Digvijay Singh has come out in the open justifying ISIS operations in the country. For him to say that ISIS is targetting our country due to lack of justice to Muslims is a more serious threat to the unity and integrity of our country than that of even ISIS," Naidu said.

"ISIS terror operations are more in Muslim countries as everyone knows. Does it mean that there is no justice and lack of confidence among Muslims in those Muslim-dominated countries? During the Congress and the United Progressive Alliance's (UPA) rule, Pakistan-based terror outfits carried out attacks in our country on several occasions. What does it mean ? Were they also spurred by injustice to muslims in our country?" he questioned.

Naidu asserted that the Congress leader launched a condemnable attack on the great legacy of India, unmindful of the great tradition that have been followed in the country for long.

"Digvijay Singh made a frontal attack by his irresponsible comments on such sacred traditions of our country that allow religious freedom. Coming from a person with experience in public life is a matter of deep anguish and concern," he said.

Further, he asked Singh and the Congress to issue an apology, citing the people would consider the grand old party on the same page as one of its senior leaders.

"The countrymen would treat Shri Digvijay Singh's views and his justification of ISIS terror designs in our country as that of the Congress unless it retracts the statement. I demand from the Congress party an apology for the reprehensible comments of Shri Digvijay Singh," he said.

"Shri Digvijay Singh's comments are an insult to minorities and he must apologise for the same and for trying to perpetuate and promote a sense of fear among minorities," he added.

Earlier, while commenting on the Lucknow terror stand-off in which two terrorists were holed up inside a residential building, Digvijay Singh told a TV Channel that the incident was "a wake-up call for the government not to alienate the Muslims when it comes to providing equal rights and opportunity," adding, "people will get attracted to ISIS and Pakistan if equal opportunity is not given."

Security forces had gunned down a terrorist early on Wednesday morning in an operation that lasted for nearly 10 hours in the thickly-populated Thakurganj area of Lucknow.