Senior BJP leader Giriraj Singh on Wednesday yet again sparked controversy, when he wondered aloud as to why all those arrested on terror charges belonged to a particular community.
“Since terrorism affects the country as a whole and not a particular community, why do secular leaders remain silent when all persons arrested in terrorism cases belong to a certain community,” he told reporters.
According to Giriraj, “This is a naked example of pseudo-secularism and patronisation of a community for vote bank politics. This mindset is posing a danger to the country”.
“A terrorist is a terrorist; he has no religion, no caste. You can bring the NIA list of those who have been caught as terrorists. If they are found to belong to one community, I will say that they are of one community,” he said.
Giriraj, who was recently booked on charges of hate speeches during the Lok Sabha campaign, also talked about Article 370 and said that our ancestors had incorporated this special provision in the Constitution but it had failed to improve the state’s socio-economic condition.
Hence, a referendum was needed on the issue.
He also flayed the deafening silence maintained by National Conference(NC) chief Farooq Abdullah, who had earlier said that those voting for Modi should drown in the sea, when the Tricolour was defiled.
Giriraj, who contested the Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket from Nawada, had been banned from campaigning by the EC after he said that those opposed to Modi would be forcibly sent to Pakistan.
Later, he accused the media of misinterpreting his remarks. Nonetheless, Giriraj stood by his statement that Pakistan was sanctuary for terrorists.