Hang Afzal to send right message to terrorists: BJP

New Delhi, Feb 20: Strongly condemning the terrorist attack onSamjhauta Express near Panipat, the BJP today demanded the UPAgovernment hang Mohammad Afzal, convicted to death sentence by theSupreme Court's in the Parliament attack case to send the 'rightmessage' to terrorist outfits operating in the country.

Deputy Leader of the BJP in Lok Sabha Vijay Kumar Malhotra, wholed a three-member team for an on the spot visit to the blast spot,told newspersons here that the UPA government ''in its eagerness to winover the loyalty of one particular religion,'' was attempting to appearsoft on terror by several of its deeds after it came to power. ''Theterror attack highlights the incompetence of the Government and theRailways in warding off the terrorist moves, he charged.

''The UPA had repealed POTA, an a stringent legislation againstterror and the statements of UPA Chairman and Prime Minister tended toabsolve one community and Pakistan in terror related activities and theresult was series of blasts including the blasts on Samjhauta train.The repeal of POTA was contrary to the global trend which went fortougher laws in the light of 9/11 attack on twin towers in New York,thus projecting India as a 'soft and weak State,' the BJP leader said.

Mr Malhotra said there was several Intelligence leads hinting atterror attacks at various places which were reflected in the speechesand statements of Home Minister, Defence Minister and National SecurityAdvisor. No place or installation was out of the range of terroristsradars and they went on going ahead with their plans striking atwill,'' he said, adding that instead of asking Pakistan PresidentPervez Musharraf to dismantle terror camps of Jaish-e-Mohammad andLashkar-e-Toiba, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was issuing statementsdescribing that country as a 'victim of terror' even after serial trainblasts in Mumbai. He said unless these terror camps were destroyed,there can be no 'meaningful talks' with Pakistan.

Mr Malhotra said the Railways which had declared a compensation ofRs 10 lakhs to passengers of Samjhauta Express should also extend thesame compensation to the kins of those who vanished serial blasts onMumbai trains and Godhra train burning.

UNI

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