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Published 19 Jun, 2008 12:00am

Thackeray for forming ‘Hindu terror groups’

NEW DELHI, June 18: Rightwing rabble rouser Bal Thackeray has called for the creation of Hindu suicide squad to fight Muslim terrorists but his vitoriolic comments published in the Shiv Sena’s party organ on Wednesday drew feeble protests from allies and political adversaries alike.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which has an alliance with the Shiv Sena, urged Mr Thackeray to behave responsibly, and the Communist Paarty of India asked him not to instigate communal strife in Mumbai and the rest of Maharashtra.

In his editorial comment in the Sena’s mouthpiece ‘Saamna’, Mr Thackeray said: “The threat of Islamic terror in India is rising. It is time to counter the same with Hindu terror.

Hindu suicide squads should be readied to ensure existence of Hindu society and to protect the nation.”

Mr Thackeray wrote that Hindus were safe during the Moghul invasion only because the Maratha warrior Shivaji had the courage to raise his swords against them.

Press Trust of India explained that the comments from the man who idolised Adolf Hitler in 1995, came in the backdrop of a mysterious ‘Hindu bomb’ allegedly planted by members of Hindu right wing activists in an auditorium in a Mumbai suburb which seven persons were injured.

“It was heartening to know that it was the supporters of Hindutva who had exploded the bomb in the theatre. But it was sad to know that it was planted to hurt the Hindus and I am ashamed about it”, Mr Thackeray said wondering why a theatre should be attacked.

BJP Vice President Venkaiah Naidu said that people can’t take law into their own hands.

“People should not take law into their hands. It is the duty of the government to counter terror,” Mr Naidu told reporters in Delhi.

“There are democratic methods to address the problem of terrorism,” he added.

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