Congress soft pedalling terrorism: Venkaiah Naidu

Hydeabad, Feb 9: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) leader M Venkahiah Naidu today alleged that the Congress's soft pedalling of the problem of terorrism was responsible for increasing terrorist attacks in the country.

Addressing a press conference here he said there could be no comparision between the Kandahar incident and the Parliament attack case. Succumbing to vote bank politics, the UPA gvoernment failed to act against Afzal Guru, who was awarded capital punishment by the Delhi High Court, which was upheld by the Supreme Court, he said.

On the other hand, the Vajpayee Government had released some terrorists only to save the lives of 138 innocent passengers, including women and children conceding the demand of the then oppositon Congress party, Mr Naidu claimed, and asked how could there be a comparision between the innocent passengers and Afzal Guru, who masterminded the Parliament attack.

He claimed that in Kashmir. some terrorists were freed to secure the release of former Chief Minsiter Mukti Mohammed Sayeed's daughter who was kidnapped by the ultras.

In Andhra Pradssh some naxalites had been let out, only to secure the release of some IAS Officers, he claimed.

The BJP leader alleged that Congress failed to tackle the problem of terrorism during its 52-year-rule in the country.

Terrorism and communalism were the 'twin babies' of the Congress misrule.

Mr Naidu alleged that the Congress was mingling terrorism with religion as it was pursuing vote bank politics by appeasing the minority communities.

He added the BJP would counter the Congress for its failure to resolve agrarian crisis, unemployment, terrorism and protect the common man.

UNI