Date:04/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/04/stories/2008120455030700.htm

Kerala

BJP flays ‘soft stand’ of Congress on terrorism

Special Correspondent

Rajnath Singh speaks at ‘Swabhiman Rally’ organised by BJYM

BJP will introduce law harsher than POTA if it comes to power, he says
Blames Congress, Left for withdrawing POTA

KANNUR: Accusing the Congress and Left parties of being soft towards terrorism, Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh has said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), if it comes to power in the next general election, will introduce a harsher legislation than the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) to fight terrorism.

Inaugurating the ‘Swabhiman Rally’ organised by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) here on Wednesday to commemorate slain BJYM leader K.T. Jayakrishnan, Mr. Rajnath Singh said if the BJP came to power, it would enforce the death sentence on Afzal Guru who had been convicted in a Parliament attack case. Stating that the roots of terrorism were in Pakistan, he said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was engaged in confidence-building measures with Pakistan when Pakistan-assisted terrorists were wreaking havoc on India. “We have to take the international community into confidence to exert pressure on Pakistan to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in that country. If Pakistan does not do it, India has to take direct action to destroy terrorist camps there,” he said.

The BJP president said the Congress and the Left parties were equally responsible for increasing terrorist attacks against the country. The UPA government, supported by the Left, had withdrawn POTA, he added. He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia had failed to predict the global economic meltdown and insulate the Indian economy against its adverse impact.