BJP criticises Centre's soft policy towards terrorism

New Delhi, Apr 22 (UNI) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today criticised the Centre for adopting a soft policy towards terrorism and said this approach had led to the provocative slogans raised at breakaway Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's meeting in Srinagar.

Party spokesman Prakash Javadekar, in a statement issued here, said the anti-national speech and provocative slogans by Hurriyat Conference Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani was the outcome of a soft policy adopted by the Prime Minister and UPA government, towards the challenge of terrorism.

He said, ''The Kashmir situation is worsening day by day because of this soft policy of the government. Pro-Pakistani slogans are a threat to national security. BJP always stands for policy of zero tolerance for issues concerning danger to national security.'' ''The whole Kashmir issue is the result of Nehruvian blunder of giving separate status to Jammu and Kashmir. This separate status is now converted into full-fledged separatism,'' Mr Javadekar said.

''Initiatives like round-table conference have no meaning unless this threat is addressed squarely. All the peace efforts and negotiations in Kashmir should be focused on security angle.

Unfortunately, the government is discussing the formula of autonomy, self-rule, demilitarisation as proposed by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. India in the process has lost initiative created during the NDA regime,'' the statement added.

A report from Srinagar said the Jammu and Kashmir Police has lodged a first information report (FIR) against Geelani for anti-national speech and raising provocative slogans during his public meeting at Eidgah. The FIR, number 70/07, has been lodged at the Safa Kadal police station.

Police said Mr Geelani, his Hurriyat colleagues Ashraf Sehrai, Masarat Alam, Saleem Geelani and Shafi Lone have been booked under section 13 of the unlawful activities act for delivering an anti-India speech.

UNI