A day after the Maharashtra Government filed a criminal case against him for ‘‘inciting communal passions’, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray stood by his demand for ‘Hindu suicide squads’, saying the remark was meant against ‘‘terrorists and pro-Pakistani elements’’ and not minorities.‘‘I have always accepted Muslims here as citizens of India but not those who are pro-Pakistan and terrorists. I was only speaking against terrorism. I am a responsible man. If anything was defamatory I would not have said it. I have not used the word ‘minority’ anywhere in my speech. I have spoken about terrorism and the need to curb it. So what is wrong?’’ he said at a press conference today.Thackeray said he would not seek anticipatory bail in connection with the case against him, registered under Section IPC 153 and 153 A ‘‘I did not do it the last time and will not do it now. Let them do what they must. They have filed a complaint as they have to show that they have done something in these three years,’’ he said.Thackeray also used the occasion to take some more potshots at Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, saying he hadn’t ‘‘done enough’’. ‘‘There is a vast difference between Vajpayee as the BJP leader and Vajpayee in the government. He is responsible for the spread of the BJP but as Prime Minister there are no signs of things happening. If he had done something about terrorism it would not have spread so much. The foreign tours are continuing even as our jawans die on the border.’’The state BJP unit chose to distance itself from the snowballing controversy—senior party leader Gopinath Munde even took a potshot at Thackeray. ‘‘Tackling terrorism is the job of the police and army, not the people,’’ he said. ‘‘I have full faith in Thackeray’s capacity but it is possible only if he becomes prime minister.’’
