Shinde becoming real terrorists' darling: RSS leader

New Delhi, Jan 22: The

and the

continued their war over Union Home Minister

's remark on Hindu terrorism. The saffron party, which will stage a nationwide protest on Jan 24 against Shinde, sought the minister's sacking but the Congress firmly backed him.

Shinde said at the party's Jaipur conclave on Sunday that the BJP and RSS were promoting Hindu terror. He cited the Samjhauta Express, Mecca Masjid and Malegaon blasts to back his remark.

BJP chief Nitin Gadkari said on Monday that Congress chief Sonia Gandhi owed an explanation to the entire country. Speaking at a rally in Lucknow on Monday, Gadkari asked what should be made out of the comments made by Shinde.

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said either Shinde should prove his charges or he should apologise. BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad, who described Shinde as a lightweight minister who had a habit of speaking lightly, should be sacked and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party chief Sonia Gandhi should apologise.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath, however, brushed aside the opposition party's criticism, saying it was an attempt by the latter to divert attention from its internal squabbles. Another party leader Digvijaya Singh also backed Shinde, saying some people in the RSS were backing terrorist activities. He said Shinde repeated what he has been saying for the last 11 years.

Singh said Shinde has the evidence and some people have already been arrested in this connection.

RSS leader Ram Madhav said Shinde was becoming the darling of the real terrorists. He said this on Monday after the Jamaat-ud-Dawa congratulated the Indian Home Minister for his remark. Madhav tweeted: "Today Jamat ud Dawa congratulated Shinde. Now he has become the darling of real terrorists. It is Shinde who is helping our enemies by such statements. Now even LeT welcomed his statement I am told."

The RSS's outrage was fuelled by a twitter handle ‏@HafizSaeedJUD of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, the leader of terror group LeT, which read: "Shinde has spoken Truth finally, we consider this a Help from ALLAH SWT for Pakistan which is always alleged by India for Terrorism."

Saeed, the mastermind behind the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008, also tweeted: "World should take notice and declare India a state that is supporting terror on its soil after its Home minister Shinde candidly confesses. Shinde has spoken Truth finally, we consider this a Help from ALLAH SWT for Pakistan which is always alleged by India for Terrorism."

Meanwhile, Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav said the Home Minister should stress peace and not make statement like the one he made.

OneIndia News