Post-Godhra compensation, a Cong ploy for UP polls: Togadia

Varanasi, Nov 28 (UNI) VHP today termed the Centre's announcement of Rs 7 lakh compensation to each of the over 5,000 post-Godhra riot victims, as a Congress ploy aimed at the Uttar Pradesh Assembly poll next year.

Interacting with mediapersons here, VHP General Secretary Pravin Togadia alleged the compensation announced by the UPA Government yesterday is only aimed at helping the Congress in the UP Assembly poll.

''If the UPA government at centre is so concerned about those killed in violence, they should also sanction similar compensation to those killed in terrorist violence in the country. The same rule should apply to provide compensation to the families of soldiers killed while countering terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country,'' Dr Togadia maintained.

The VHP leader equated the post-Godhra compensation with the clemency petition of Mohd Afzal Guru, who is facing capital punishment in Parliament attack case.

''Both Afzal's clemency issue and compensation to post-Godhra riots victims is part of Congress' policy of minority appeasement aimed only at garnering votes in UP assembly polls,'' he alleged.

''But the Congress' efforts to secure electoral benefits from the two issues will backfire. It has recently lost in its citadel Amethi during the local body poll and also suffered defeat in the mayoral poll in Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Sriprakash Jaiswal's constituency of Kanpur, which proves its (Congress') woeful state in (condition) UP,'' he added.

Dr Togadia held the ''minority appeasement policy'' of the UPA government responsible for terrorism in the country.

He demanded a policy of ''hot pursuit'' against terrorist camps in Pakistan and similar action against home grown terrorism being ''encouraged'' in institutions administering ''jehadi education.'' ''We seek a blanket ban on jehadi education and institutions administering it in the country, besides an action similar to US action in Afghanistan to deal with terror camps in Pakistan.'' UNI ARS VS PKS MIR RN2129