New Delhi: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including national president Rajnath Singh, were detained by Delhi Police at the Jantar Mantar here on Wednesday during the protest against Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde over his ''saffron terror'' remark.
Scores of BJP party workers and supporters have gathered at the Jantar Mantar here to vent their ire against the Home Minister.
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar earlier in the day said Shinde's remarks have created outrage over the country.
"Pakistan has welcomed Shinde's remark. So, this is exactly what he has done to serve his masters. He has given a handle to Pakistan to beat India. And to say that India is the epicentre of terror and whatever is happening in Pakistan is happening because of this Indian terror. So, he has actually given a handle to the Pakistanis and (it is) most unfortunate. In 65 years of independent India nobody has equated religion with terror, but that Shinde has done," said Javadekar.
"And more so, he has criticised BJP and RSS that they are running the training camps. We are the principle opposition party, then how he can have a meeting with us, how can he have a meeting with the terrorists those who run terrorist camps. And that is why we have said if you have proof, arrest us and take action. As you don't have proof, you have to apologise, you have to take back your remarks and that is what we are demanding," he added.
Javadekar further accused the ruling Congress Party of playing vote bank politics, and demanded an apology from the Home Minister.
"With a month now practically, the Congress wants to play politics over it and does not want to make a simple regret or withdrawal of remark or apology because they are into a vote bank politics now. And that is why we are taking demonstration today and we will raised this issue in Parliament also," he added.
The decision to carry out a protest march against Shinde, who had made the controversial remarks at a Congress conclave in Jaipur last month, was taken at a BJP Parliamentary Executive Committee meeting yesterday.
The BJP top brass yesterday also discussed the party's strategy for the Budget Session of Parliament, which begins tomorrow. (ANI)
First Published: Wednesday, February 20, 2013, 09:13