BJP promises POTA-like anti-terror law in UP

Varanasi, Apr 2 (UNI) Alleging that about 37 Uttar Pradesh districts were in the grip of terrorism, the BJP today promised an anti-terror mechanism, including the enactment of a POTA-like anti-terror law, if elected to power in the state.

Addressing a meeting of party workers in Cholapur area of Saidpur assembly constituency here, Mr Katiyar said ''At least 37 districts are affected by terrorism, a fact which has been admitted by the Mulayam Singh Yadav government.'' ''Investigations into terrorist acts in various parts of the country have revealed hand of terrorists originating from districts like Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, Meerut, Mau and other UP districts,'' Mr Katiyar alleged.

If elected to power in UP, the BJP government led by Kalyan Singh will put in place a special mechanism to uproot terrorism from UP, he said.

''The special anti-terror mechanism will include crucial initiatives like constitution of a Special Task Force of police to deal with terrorist activities, besides the enactment of an anti-terror law on the lines of the now repealed POTA.'' Training his guns on the Mulayam Singh government for deteriorating law and order situation in UP, Mr Katiyar said while the previous BJP governments were only interested in the welfare of people, especially farmers, the Samajwadi Party-led regime has opened the ''floodgates'' for kidnappers and terrorists.

Mr Katiyar also criticised the present UP government for failing to prevent and tackle communal conflagaration. ''Three years ago when the Mulayam Singh government came to power, it failed to prevent riots in Jhansi and Kushinagar. Now as it is about to leave it has yet again failed to check communal flare-ups in Lucknow and Kanpur, he claimed.'' He appealed to the minority community to realise that only the BJP could establish communal amity in UP. ''The governments in UP led by Kalyan Singh, Ram Prakash Gupta and Rajnath Singh have shown how steely resolve can control communal riots within 24 hours flat, ''Mr Katiyar claimed.

UNI