Chidambaram cautions against ’saffron terrorism’

NEW DELHI - Home Minister P. Chidambaram Wednesday asked the chiefs of state police forces and security agencies to be vigilant against various forms of extremism, including “saffron terrorism” that he said had been behind many bomb blasts.

“I wish to caution you that there is no let up in the attempts to radicalise young men and women in India,” said Chidambaram. Referring to Hindu extremist outfits, he said: “There is this recently uncovered phenomena of of saffron terrorism that has been implicated in many bomb blasts of the past.

“My advice to you is that we must remain ever vigilant and continue to build at the central and state levels, our capacity in counter-terrorism,” he said in his inaugural address to the 45th meet of the chiefs of state police and central paramilitary forces here.

Chidambaram asked them to be ever vigilant against the forces of terrorism, observing that “save for one incident, the last 21 months have been remarkably free of any terrorist attack”.

“The attack on the German Bakery in Pune was indeed a blot. I sincerely hope that the suspects will be apprehended as soon as possible,” he said.

Chidambaram’s remarks on “saffron terrorism” invited prompt reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which called it an attempt to divert attention from the government’s failures.