PM not sincere in tackling terror: Togadia

Lucknow, Nov 26 (UNI) The Vishwa Hindu Parishad today launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, charging him with not being sincere in tackling terrorism.

The VHP also asked the Congress to rethink its policy on the minorities claiming that the party was itself generating a 'political Hindu backlash' Talking to reporters here, VHP leader Dr Pravin Bhai Togadia said despite demands from Director, Intelligence Bureau (DIB) E S L Narasimhan that the country required stringent laws to deal with terrorists, the Prime Minister refused to oblige. ''The DIB was correct in placing the fears of police and intelligence organisatins that terrorists were using sophisticated means to target the country. His demand for stronger laws is the need of the hour...but in a bid to appease the Muslims, the PM refused to accept the demand at the cost of the country,'' he alleged.

Mr Narasimhan had placed his views on day two of Director Generals' conference in New Delhi.

The VHP leader claimed that on one hand, the Prime Minister talked of curbing terror and 'zero tolerance against terrorists' and on the other, he refused providing the police with suitable laws. ''He is confusing the masses with his confronting stand on the issue,'' he added.

''By making such statements, Dr Manmohan Singh has only confused the security forces fighting terror,'' he added and said the terror law was meant for all Indians and not necessarily aimed at Muslims.

He said while countries like the US and UK have evolved anti-terrorist laws to deal with the menace, India, also hard hit by the problem, was still lacking in the field.

He also criticised justice (retd) Rajinder Sachhar for his report on Muslims. ''He has deliberately omitted the number of Muslims in jails. This was done to hide the figure of Muslims in jails in Maharashtra...by doing this, he has himself raised a question mark on the credibility of his report,'' he added.

Dr Togadia also charged the Mulaums with not following family planning and thereby creating complexities for the economy. ''They follow the Shariat and produce more children. The Hindus, on the other hand, follow family planning...at the end, Hindus pay taxes to feed the increasing number of Muslims which is creating problems for the ecomomy.'' UNI NAB PK GC1455