The Hindu : BJP chief for early issuance of identity cards

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 02, 2002

National

National

BJP chief for early issuance of identity cards

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Oct. 1. T he Central and State Governments should immediately take up the task of preparing a national register of citizens and also the early issuance of multi-purpose identity cards to check infiltration from across the border and to tackle terrorism, the BJP president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, said here today.

At a press conference, Mr. Naidu said it should be made mandatory for all citizens to carry the identity card in view of Pakistan's increasing attempts at cross-border terrorism.

Such a move would effectively check the infiltration of ISI agents who, with the help of local "fundamentalist organisations", were indulging in destabilising activities.

Incidents such as last year's attack on Parliament, that on the Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar last week and similar acts in different parts of the country had shown that terrorists received local support in terms of accommodation and logistics.

In some instances, the terrorists had links with the underworld.

Stressing the need for a relentless drive against terrorists, the BJP chief said all political parties had agreed that attributing terrorism to any particular community or religion was against the basic tenets of any religion.

"It should be opposed by the people of every community and neutralised by the police and the security forces." He hoped the Centre and the States would take necessary steps in this connection.

On the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader, Ashok Singhal's remark that the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, had lost the trust of the Parishad on the construction of a temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, he said the BJP did not agree with Mr. Singhal.

On the National Conference president, Omar Abdullah's decision to quit the Central Cabinet after the Jammu and Kashmir poll, Mr. Naidu said the BJP would wait for the verdict and the final decision of the NC before commenting.

Reiterating Mr. Vajpayee's appeal to settle the Cauvery issue through talks, he appealed to the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Governments to show restraint and find an amicable solution through negotiations.

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