Shanta calls for 'Mahabharata' to crush menace of terrorism

Jammu, June 9 (UNI) Senior BJP leader and former union minister Shanta Kumar today called for a 'Mahabharata' to crush the terrorist infrastructure on the other side of the LoC to settle the menace of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir once and for all.

Speaking on the third day of the week-long 'Save Doda-Save Nation' satygraha here, he said ''everyone knew who was running terrorist training camps, who was abetting terrorism in the state and responsible for killing of thousands of innocent people as well as migration of people of particular community.'' Noting that the Congress had ruled the country for most of period since Independence, he blamed it for the present J&K imbroglio. ''The time has come for a Mahabharata to destroy the infrastructure of terrorism and to teach a lesson to perpetrators of violence.'' Accusing the Congress of fostering corruption, Mr Kumar claimed corruption was the main reason behind the spurt of naxalism and terrorism in the country.

Holding ''vote bank and appeasement'' policies responsible for terrorism from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in the country, he charged the Congress with ''still pursuing the same agenda for its own interests and pushing the country into turmoil.'' Referring to the presence of two crore illegal bangladeshi immigrants in the country, he said that this has not only created a population imbalance in certain states but also worsened the law and order situation in the country.

BJP general secretary Vinay Katiyar, who had announced a reward of Rs one lakh yesterday for each militant killed by the people, today demanded an investigation into the links of ministers and MLAs of ruling coalition with terrorists.

''Security forces have unearthed the linkage with the terrorists and the politicians of the state and it is the responsibility of the government to bring these people to book.'' Former Union Minister Maj Gen B C Khanduri, former Uttaranchal Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Haryana BJP president Ganeshi Lal and Himachal Pradesh BJP president Suresh Bhardwaj also address the gathering and expressed their solidarity with the peole of the state in their fight against terrorism.

Later all the leaders, alongwith the party workers drawn from Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Haryana, held a procession and courted arrest near the Civil Secretariat.

UNI RKS VD HT1908