New Delhi, Aug 7 : Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, who sparked a political storm with his 'Sanatani terrorism' barb, has been served a legal notice by Sanatan Sanstha, demanding that the Congress leader tenders an unconditional apology or face a defamation suit amounting to Rs 10 crores.

The defamation notice has been sent by Sanatan Sanstha Trustee Virendra Marathe, who claimed that the Congress leader made highly objectionable and disparaging remarks against the world's richest civilisation and asked him to make amends for the same.

Prithviraj Chavan, while speaking to the press after the Malegaon blast verdict on Friday, said that the saffron terror was not the apt word; rather, it should be called 'Sanatani terrorism' or Hindu fundamentalism, inviting strong rebuke from the BJP.

'You shouldn't use the term saffron terrorism. If must say, then say Sanatan terrorist or Hindu terrorist,' he said, while sharing his government's attempts to ban one such Sanatan outfit, when in power.

In the legal notice served by Sanatan Sanstha, Prithviraj Chavan has been asked to tender a written apology within 15 days and also a promise not to make such profane remarks in the future.

Ramdas Kesarkar, the legal counsel of Sanatan Sanstha, said that Chavan's statements were defamatory and demeaning and it hurted the religious sentiments of thousands of followers of Sanatan Dharma.

'If Chavan fails to acknowledge and address our demands, we will take further legal action and will lodge a criminal complaint against him,' he said.

The organisation further called out Congress leader's double standards by questioning his alleged silence when the party's top leaders, including P Chidambaram and Sushil Shinde, coined a new term 'saffron terror'.

Chavan's reference to 'Sanatani terrorism' in spite of saffron terror led to strong protests from the BJP as well as Shiv Sena, with the latter holding demonstrations against former Maharashtra Chief Minister and demanding that he withdraw his statement.

Sena workers had organised a sit-in protest outside the Tilak Bhavan, the Congress party office in Mumbai and demanded a public apology from Chavan.

In the Malegaon verdict, which came 17 years after an explosive device tied to a motorcycle went off near a mosque in Malegaon, situated about 200 km from Mumbai, killing six people and injuring hundreds.

The special NIA court acquitted all seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Thakur and Lieutenant Colonel Shrikant Purohit, saying that the prosecution failed to prove its case.

/IANS