Saffron terror phrase not my patent: Chidambaram

Days after Congress party distanced itself from his remarks on saffron terror, Home Minister P Chidambaram today said the phrase brought home the message of right-wing terrorism and the purpose has been served.

Days after Congress party distanced itself from his remarks on saffron terror, Home Minister P Chidambaram said the phrase brought home the message of right-wing terrorism and the purpose has been served.

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However, he said party is supreme and he had no patent on the phrase -- saffron terrorism.

Addressing a press conference, Chidambaram said there has been indication that right-wing fundamentalist groups were suspected to be behind some of the recent bomb blasts in the country.

"These are religious fundamentalist groups. The message ought not to be lost in phrases and perhaps the use of that phrase has brought the message home. So, the purpose, in a way, has been served," he said.

His reaction came when he was asked whether he stood by his recent remarks that a new phenomenon of "saffron terrorism" involved in many bomb blasts has been uncovered, which has created a controversy.

Asked to comment whether there was difference between policy of this Home Ministry and his Congress party, he said "party is supreme".

When BJP and Shiv Sena raised the issue of minister's remarks in Parliament, Congress General Secretary and media department chief Janardhan Dwivedi had said that terror has no colour and that care should be taken on use of words.

The Home Minister said the phrase was used by a number of people in the past, including a few members of UPA and there was a debate on in Parliament on 'saffronisation of education' in 2001.

"A number of others have used the phrase. I have been told that a number of my colleagues in the UPA have used the phrase in the past. So, I can't claim patent over that phrase," he said.