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‘Saffron terror' comes in handy for Lalu, Paswan

Patna: With the Bihar Assembly polls looming in the background, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram's “saffron terror” warning was eagerly taken up by the Rashtriya Janata Dal-Lok Janshakti Party alliance here on Saturday in their bid to display solidarity with the Muslim community.

Addressing journalists at their respective party offices, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and his LJP counterpart Ram Vilas Paswan came down heavily on Hindu terror groups and rebuked the Congress for being soft on “saffron terrorism”.

The remarks assume significance as it is being viewed as an attempt to reassure the alliance's Muslim base ever since the projection of Mr. Prasad as the Chief Minister and Mr. Paswan's brother as Deputy Chief Minister.

Mr. Paswan said Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its constituent arms – VHP and Bajrang Dal -- ought to be banned for “indulging in a string of terrorist activities throughout the country”.

Condemning the attack by Sangh members on the offices of the television channel Headlines Today, he complained that there had never been any police raid till date on any branch of the RSS in the country.

Both Mr. Prasad and Mr. Paswan demanded release of the CD contents acquired by the television channel which allegedly detailed a plot to assassinate Vice-President Hamid Ansari by a member affiliated to the Sangh.

Likewise, the duo questioned why Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had been given a clean chit by the CBI in the Sohrabbudin Sheikh-Kausar Bi murder case.

Meanwhile, Mr. Prasad defended his visit to ex-MP Mohammed Shahabuddin in Siwan Jail on Thursday, stating that there was nothing controversial about it as Shahabuddin was a “man of strong personality” who had greatly contributed towards the RJD. Despite his incarceration, Mr. Shahabuddin is said to wield considerable influence over the Muslim community in parts of Siwan.

A cross-section of RJD and JD (U) leaders told The Hindu that more than reassuring minorities, Mr. Prasad is anxious to secure Shahabuddin's “silent” cooperation as the JD (U) had been making overtures to Hena Shahab, Shahabuddin's wife and RJD candidate in the 2009 elections.

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‘Saffron terror' comes in handy for Lalu, Paswan

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