National

ATS targeting Hindu leaders is part of Centre’s conspiracy: BJP

Rajnath Singh

RAIPUR: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday accused the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance of intentionally targeting Hindu religious leaders and framing them in the Malegaon blast case.

Addressing a press conference here, BJP president Rajnath Singh said the UPA, in the wake of elections, was giving a communal colour to terrorism by targeting Hindu religious leaders. This would result in polarisation of Hindus and Muslims. The BJP was not against any probe, neither would it shield any culprit, but a “distorted propaganda against religious leaders would be opposed. The use of phrases like Hindu terrorism has political overtones,” Mr. Singh said.

On Monday, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Maharashtra police filed an application in a Mumbai court seeking permission to interrogate a high-profile Hindu leader and obtain cooperation from the Uttar Pradesh government in doing so.

“Maharashtra’s ATS has no evidence against Hindu religious leaders but it is continuously targeting Hindu religious leaders as part of a conspiracy by the Congress-led government at the Centre,” Mr. Singh said.

Coming to the defence of Jogi Adityanath, BJP MP from Gorakhpur who is believed to be a “suspect” in the blast case, Mr. Singh said he personally knew him. Adityanath was not the kind of person who would indulge in terrorist activities. “The Congress has failed to tackle terrorism and is now trying to target him.”

Adityanath on Tuesday dared the ATS to arrest him. Mr. Singh said the conspiracy started from targeting Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswathi in Orissa, who has since been murdered, and was now focussed on Adityanath.

To a query on the arrest of former and serving army officers, Mr. Singh said it would lower the morale of army personnel.

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