Terror has no religion, says Piyush Goyal, slams Congress for 'trying to raise Hindu terror bogey'

Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said that terror has no religion and condemned what he said was a "conspiracy" by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the Congress party to raise the "bogey of Hindu terror" in the country.

Goyal while speaking on the reported excerpt from the ex-Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria's book that Ajmal Kasab would have died as Samir Dinesh Chaudhari "with a red thread tied around his wrist" had LeT succeeded in their plan, said: "Why is Maria ji speaking these things now? He should have said that when he was the Police Commissioner. According to the service rules, if some information is with senior police officers, they should take action on it."

Ajmal Kasab was part of the group of terrorists who attacked Mumbai on November 26, 2008. Kasab, a Pakistani national, was caught alive and was later hanged.

"UPA and Congress conspired...at that time we saw another example of lies when they tried to raise the false bogey of Hindu terror. I condemn Congress and others who tried to mislead the nation over Hindu terror, for which they had to face consequences in 2014 and 2019. Terror has no religion. A terrorist is a terrorist," Goyal added.

Speaking of Centre-sponsored development works in Telangana, Goyal said the Narendra Modi government has undertaken several developmental projects in the state.

"Lots of new projects for doubling, tripling, new lines, electrification of lines...today, we have inaugurated 170 stations in Telangana where wi-fi is now available," he informed.