Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Friday hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for levelling allegations against him for sharing the stage with Islamist preacher Zakir Naik in 2012.
Blaming the BJP for giving a communal angle to the issue, he said, "The entire issue of Zakir Naik has been created and propagated by people who thrive on polarisation. BJP is the beneficiary of this polarisation, Congress is in fact losing because of this. Congress has always been liberal, modern and secular."
Defending himself for sharing the dais with Naik, Singh said he does not regret attending the 2012 event as it was on the subject of communal harmony and peace in the country.
I don't regret sharing dais with him as he was speaking against the acts of terrorism and how Islam was against killing innocent. I am fighting the communal forces from day one. They are responsible for bringing disharmony[name] Digvijaya Singh[/name]
He also questioned if the BJP will probe the speeches made by 2008 Malegaon blast case accused Sadhvi Pragya Thakur. "I ask the government to look into the provocative speeches made by people like Sadhavi and others and know it they impact the young minds," he said.
He also posed a question to the ruling BJP, wondering what it will say about Sri Sri Ravi Shankar sharing the stage with Zakir.
Digvijaya said the Naik should be given a chance to prove himself. "Should we allow a false encounter? Should we allow police people killing without a trial? Let the forensic team probe the validity of the videos and then decide," he said adding that any person who spreads the message of hatred and violence should be prosecuted.
Zakir Naik is a fiery and articulate speaker. Let the government probe the reports that his speeches inspired those behind the Dhaka attack [name]Dijvijaya Singh[/name]
Singh had earlier in the day also raked up the issue of Home Minister Rajnath Singh's alleged meeting with Pragya Thakur. "I am being criticised for sharing stage with Zakir Naik but what about Rajnath Singh ji meeting bomb blast accused Pragya Thakur ?"
"Pragya is an accused in bomb blast. Is there a case against Zakir Naik as yet? What about Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji sharing stage with Zakir ?", he said in a series of tweets.
The Congress leader has in the past too alleged that Rajnath Singh had met Pragya in jail when BJP was in the opposition. Rajnath Singh, who is now the Union Home Minister, had then denied meeting her.
BJP said Zakir was a "threat" to national security as it was clear from his speeches that he "incited" people.
"Terrorism is enemy of humanity. Anybody who directly or indirectly abets it is guilty. People like him (Zakir) are a threat to our national security. Government agencies should decide on action against him under the existing legal system. It is clear that he incited people," party national secretary Shrikant Sharma said.
Citing Digvijaya's comments, he said, "It is in Congress' character to politicise and glorify terrorism. Its leaders used terms like Hafiz saab and Osama ji for terrorists. "They questioned the sacrifice of Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma in Batla House encounter and claimed their president Sonia Gandhi cried whole night over the killings (of terrorists) in the encounter."
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