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Updated: Jun 24, 2020 05:03 IST

Rajya Sabha member and former Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh has accused the BJP and the Bajrang Dal of taking money from Pakistan’s spy agency ISI, triggering another showdown with the saffron party.

In a widely shared video, he can be heard saying that non-Muslims spy for ISI more than Muslims.

The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister who often baits the BJP, made the statement in Bhind on Saturday at a function to unveil a statue of Maharana Pratap.

Later Sunday, he took to Twitter to clarify his original remarks. “Some (TV) channels are running (a story) that I have accused BJP of spying for ISI after taking money. This is completely wrong,” he tweeted in Hindi.

“MP police arrested Bajrang Dal (activist) and BJP IT cell office-bearer on charges of spying for ISIafter taking money. I have levelled this charge and stick to it. Why don’t channels ask this question to the BJP?” he said in another tweet.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Bhind programme Digvijaya Singh had said, “My fight with the RSS and the BJP is of ideology. Whoever has been caught for spying for Pakistan.... Bajrang Dal and BJP are taking money from the ISI. Please pay attention to this also. Non-Muslims are spying for Pakistan’s ISI more than Muslims.”

Digvijaya Singh could not be reached for his comments but Congress spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta backed the senior leader.

“Digvijaya Singh ji has made it stand clear. There are many people linked with right wing who were caught by the anti-terrorism agencies like NIA and also MP Police. BJP should make it stand clear on the same.”

But the BJP was severely critical of Singh and accused him of backing Pakistan.

Vice president of the BJP unit in Madhya Pradesh Vijesh Lunawat said, “Digvijaya Singh’s statement is completely absurd and highly objectionable. In fact, he has been speaking the language of Pakistan for decades. It’s he who gave respect to terrorists like Osama Bin Laden who was killed by the US and Hafiz Sayeed in his speeches. The party will look into his speech and decide what to do on his scandlous charges.”

BJP spokesperson in Madhya Pradesh Rajneesh Agrawal said, “Digvijaya Singh has lost his credibility within his own party, not to say of other political parties, given his baseless statements and love for Pakistan. That’s why people from Bhopal gave him a befitting reply in Lok Sabha election only a few months back by ensuring his defeat with a record margin.”

Singh had lost the electoral battle to BJP Pragya Singh Thakur over 3.6 lakh votes.

Bajrang Dal national convener Sohan Solanki said, “Divijaya Singh’s statement is defamatory. We will file an FIR against him. Also, by saying that non-Muslims are more involved in espionage than Muslims he has insulted 125 crore people of India.”

“Digvijaya Singh has lost his credibility as a politician. That’s why he makes such absurd statements to appear to be relevant in politics. It’s same Digvijaya Singh who called Osama Bin Laden as Laden ji and Hafiz Saeed as Saeed Saheb. It’s he who coined the slogans of Hindu and saffron terror,” he said.