Clerics condemn Gorakhpur serial blasts

Ayodhya, May 23: Religious leaders in this holy city of Uttar Pradesh today strongly condemned the serial blasts which rocked Gorakhpur last evening.

''I strongly condemn the Gorakhpur blasts and recovery of explosives in Faizabad. The terrorists are targeting religious places of Hindus, but the community will not tolerate it,'' Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas senior member and former MP Dr Ramvilas Vedanti said here.

Mr Vedanti particularly slammed the Centre for pursuing a ''Muslim appeasement policy''.

''The wrong policies of UPA are encouraging terrorists, which is why July 2, 2000 blast took place at the disputed structure.

It should avoid its soft attitude towards terrorism.'' He further demanded the Centre to take stringent measures to identify and punish the culprits or else they will be forced to start a demonstration.

Digambar 'Akhada' Mahant Suresh Das said, ''Terrorists are trying to threaten Hindus by attacking their culture, on one hand and killing the members of the community, on the other.

Meanwhile, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Sharad Sharma said till UPA enforces a stern law against terrorism, such acts would continue to happen.

''By saving Afzal Guru, convicted in the Parliament attack case, the Centre has shown how keen it is to root out terrorism,'' he added.

UNI