Under fire from Parivar,Rahul says all forms of terror a threat to India

“Rahul Gandhi’s view is that terrorism and communalism of all types is a threat to India. We need to remain vigilant against acts of terrorism of all kinds,no matter who commits them,” Congress media department chairman Janardan Dwivedi said.

Hours earlier,Dwivedi had said: “Let us verify the truth. May be there is some conspiracy behind the pattern with which all this is being done.”

“We will respond to it after verifying the facts. There is no reason to react in an excited manner. The issue should first be looked into and verified,” said party spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi,adding “I am not questioning anything and I am questioning everything.”

These reactions were,however,retracted later as Rahul himself attempted to clear the air. The embarrassing disclosure by the WikiLeaks is set to cast its shadow on the party’s plenary session starting from Sunday.

The BJP and Sangh Parivar slammed Rahul,saying his remarks “legitimised” the anti-India propaganda of Pakistan-backed terror outfits and “weakened” New Delhi’ war against terror.

The BJP said that Rahul,by identifying Hindu radical groups as bigger threats,had contradicted his own government’s line as PM Manmohan Singh had often classified Maoism and terror emanating from Pakistan as the biggest internal security threats.

His “utterly irresponsible” comments underscore his “ignorance and lack of understanding” about India and its problems,the BJP said.“It shows how little he knows about India,” BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said. “In one stroke,Rahul Gandhi gave legitimacy to the propaganda of Pakistani terror groups against India. They have been talking on the same lines. He has given a big leverage to the propaganda of terror groups operating from Pakistan and certain segments of the Pakistani establishment,” Prasad said. Some leaders like Vinay Katiyar even sought an apology.

The RSS,which has been under attack from the Congress for the alleged involvement of some of its functionaries in bomb blasts,and the VHP too hit out at Rahul.

RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav said a race was on among senior Congress leaders to “directly or indirectly support jehadi terror groups and to project Hindus as terrorists”.

He said Rahul was making “wild charges” against Hindus. “Going to a foreign ambassador and talking with him about India’s internal issues is most shocking,” Madhav said.