'Hang Afzal to send right message to terrorists' : BJP

New Delhi, Feb 20 (UNI) Strongly condemning the terrorist attack on Samjhauta Express near Panipat, the BJP today demanded the UPA government hang Mohammad Afzal, convicted to death sentence by the Supreme Court's in the Parliament attack case to send the 'right message' to terrorist outfits operating in the country.

Deputy Leader of the BJP in Lok Sabha Vijay Kumar Malhotra, who led 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 win over the loyalty of one particular religion,'' was attempting to appear soft on terror by several of its deeds after it came to power. ''The terror attack highlights the incompetence of the Government and the Railways in warding off the terrorist moves, he charged.

''The UPA had repealed POTA, an a stringent legislation against terror and the statements of UPA Chairman and Prime Minister tended to absolve one community and Pakistan in terror related activities and the result was series of blasts including the blasts on Samjhauta train. The repeal of POTA was contrary to the global trend which went for tougher 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 at terror attacks at various places which were reflected in the speeches and statements of Home Minister, Defence Minister and National Security Advisor. No place or installation was out of the range of terrorists radars and they went on going ahead with their plans striking at will,'' he said, adding that instead of asking Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to dismantle terror camps of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was issuing statements describing that country as a 'victim of terror' even after serial train blasts 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 of Rs 10 lakhs to passengers of Samjhauta Express should also extend the same compensation to the kins of those who vanished serial blasts on Mumbai trains and Godhra train burning.

UNI