User:Mrt3366/Saffron Terror

Saffron terror is a controversial phrase used to describe acts of Right-wing terrorism in India, allegedly inspired by Hindu nationalism. The colour saffron is associated with Hindu nationalism in India and to some right-wing groups that have been linked to militant attacks in the north and west of the country. The phrase "saffron terror" entered public debate in India following the 29 September 2008 western India bombings. The Home Minister of India, P. Chidambaram urged Indians to beware of "Saffron terror" on August 25, 2010 at a meeting of state police chiefs in New Delhi. This was the first time the word was formally used by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, though it is used also by other ministers of the UPA Government. The term is referred to for right wing religious fundamentalists in India, as per the Union Home Minister of India.

Claims of Right-wing terror
In January 2013, India's Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde accused Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the main opposition party, for setting up camps to propagate "Hindu Terrorism" including planting bombs in 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings, Mecca Masjid bombing and 2006 Malegaon blasts.

Support and Criticism
An activist of BJP yuva morcha, Neeraj Kumar filed a complaint against him in a Barnala court for his defamatory statements and for inciting communal hatred.

Several other leaders such as Digvijay Singh, the former Union Minister, Mani Shankar Aiyar, and Union Minister Rajeev Shukla defended Mr. Shinde saying there is enough evidence of RSS-backed terrorism, when Shinde claimed he was only refering to "Saffron terrorism".

BJP spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters in reply to Shinde's comments, "Their [Congress's] destructive mindset is reflected in the statement of the home minister. The statement he has given at the chintan shivir [brainstorming camp] is very objectionable. It's not only unacceptable but also dangerous." Naqvi stated that Shinde's statement was aimed at "disrupting peace and harmony" in the country. In February 2013, Shinde backtracked on his earlier statement by saying that "There is no colour to any terrorism. My thought is the same as party’s line".

Shinde later explained, “My statement given in Jaipur last month has created a misunderstanding. It has been understood to mean that I was linking terrorism to a particular religion and was accusing certain political organisations of being involved in organising terror camps. I had no intention to link terrorism with any religion. There is no basis for suggesting that terrorism could be linked with the organisations mentioned in my brief statement at Jaipur.” He also reaffirmed his dedication to “ensure that harmony is maintained in the social fabric of India.”

According to some released documents by WikiLeaks, Congress(I) party's general secretary Rahul Gandhi remarked to US Ambassador Timothy Roemer, at a luncheon hosted by Prime Minister of India at his residence in July 2009, that R.S.S. was a "bigger threat" to India than the Lashkar-e-Tayiba. RSS spokesman Panchjanya responded that the statement showed that Gandhi "is totally unaware of the history of Hindutva as well as the concept of nationalism."

The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) president, Rajnath Singh, denounced claims of Hindu terrorists as "vilification of Hindu saints and army officers in the name of Hindu terrorism" In 2010, the internet whistleblower organization Wikileaks released documents attesting to some leaders of the Indian National Congress alleging involvement of Hindu right-wing groups in the death of ATS chief Hemant Karkare during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The cable concluded that such allegations were being used for electoral gains. The term "Saffron Terror" was prominently used by some Congress party members in this campaign, most prominently by Digvijay Singh.