Textbook dubs BJP, VHP, Bajarang Dal as terror outfits

Bhubaneshwar, Jan 31: Orissa BJP president Suresh Pujari and Bajrang Dal national co-convenor Subash Chouhan today condemned a textbook that described the BJP, Bajarang Dal, Shiv Sena and RSS as ''extension of terrorist organisations.'' Expressing shock over such writings, both Mr Pujari and Mr Chouhan demanded action against the publisher and writers of the book.

Irate BJP workers also burnt the copies of the book ''Indian Polity'', a graduation-level textbook prescribed for the political science students, yesterday and lodged FIR against the publisher and the writers at Salepur police station.

Mr Chouhan said the page 125 of the book mentions that terrorist organisations like the Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena, BJP, RSS, Hurriyat Conference and Lashkar-e-Toiba were responsible for promoting communalism in the country.

''Such derogatory remarks have tarnished the image of Bajrang Dal,'' he said warning that the publishers and writers should be ready to face the consequences.

Meanwhile, sensing the trouble ahead, publisher of the book Somyuakanta Khandua had tendered an unconditional apology for the mistake and assured that all the books would be withdrawn from the market and a corrected version would be published soon.

Author Amarendra Mohanty has also expressed regret and tendered an unconditional apology and said the mistake would be rectified.

UNI