New Delhi: In the wake of reports suggesting Lashkar-e-TayÂyaba terrorists had tried to recruit Muzaffarnagar riot victims, BJP chief Rajnath Singh on Tuesday demanded that the government explain the facts even as the Congress said its vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s assertions that Pakistan’s ISI was working to lure the riot-hit had been vindicated.
Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh said the report lent credence to Mr Gandhi’s remarks made at an election rally in October last, which had invited flak from BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi who said Mr Gandhi should apologise for making such remarks against Muslim youth.
Two Haryana clerics arrested last month for their suspected Lashkar links and another LasÂhkar operative had allegedly visited MuzaffÂarnagar relief camps and sought to recruit men into their module.
Targeting the BJP, Union minister Manish Tewari said, “Those who believe in the politics of polarization...the politics of communalism should become cognisant of the damage they do to the idea of India.”
Cong, BJP trade barbs
Amid reports that suspected LasÂhkar-e-Taiba terrorists had approached MuÂzÂÂaÂffarnagar riot victims to recruit men to their module, Congress on TuesÂdÂay said it has proved right Rahul Gandhi's assertions that PakiÂstan’s ISI was working to lure the riot-hit while BJP asked the government to explain facts of the “LeT operation”.
Congress leader Digvijay Singh said the report has lent credence to Gandhi's remarks on riot victims at an election rally in October last, which had invited flak from opposition parties. “If this information is correct that some people from LeT had gone to relief camps to lure refugees, then it proves right what Gandhi had said,” Singh said.
According to a media report, two Haryana clerics arrested last month for their suspected links to Lashkar-e-Toiba, and another LeT operative, had allegedly visited Muzaffarnagar relief camps and sought to recruit men to their module. Targeting BJP, Union minister Manish Tewari said, “Those who believe in the politics of polarisation, who believe in the politics of commÂunalism should becÂoÂme cognizant of the damage which they do to the idea of India”.
However, BJP demanded that the home minister explain the “facts”, terming the present situation as “unacceptable”, “This shows how well-entrenched the network of LeT and other such outfits supported and funded by Pakistan are in UP...What action they have taken on their own. It is a national issue. Nobody is nabbed, noÂbody is traced. This is unacceptable,” party spokeÂspÂeÂrÂson Prakash Javadekar said.
Now the UP government and the Centre must answer, he said, adding the BJP had sought to know from the Centre as to what action it had taken on its own after Gandhi had spoken about it.
SP leader Naresh AgaÂrwal said MuzafÂfarnaÂgar had become a “political pawn” for many parties but added that he was not aware of the facts of the case. Delhi Police should do what it should but let there be no politics over it, he said.
Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said such attempts by terror outfits was not a new thing. “Pakistan's ISI and India's bhajpayees (BJP) rejoice whenever there is communal trouble in India,” he said.
ISI wants money from Muslims countries in the name of helping Muslims of India. So they earn money. Whenever there is communal disturbance, BJP gets vote," he charged. Both ISI and BJP are on the same page as far as creating communal trouble in this country is concerned, he alleged. Though Rahul Gandhi's remark on Muzaffarnagar riot victims was criticised, it was a true statement, he said. BJP President Rajnath Singh said the whole issue should be thoroughly probed with all the seriousness the matter deserves.
