Congress criticises Advani for his anti-PM remarks

New Delhi, July 12 (UNI) The Congress Party today dismissed as "slanderous" the reported statement of BJP leader L K Advani that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was "appeasing" terrorists, and said the century-old party had always been "extra sensitive" to global scourge of terrorism.

"We are extra sensitive to terrorists because our two top leaders--Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi--were victims of terrorism," Union Minister Renuka Chowdhary told mediapersons at the routine briefing at the AICC headquarters here.

"We believe that the Prime Minister has in no way lowered his position and indulged in any kind of appeasement." Referring to Mr Advani's reported statement made at a function organised in Mumbai yesterday to observe the first anniversary of the serial train blasts, she said "it is saddening that a responsible leader like Mr Advani had misused that platform to criticise the Prime Minister." Ms Chowdhary said the statement of Mr Advani was "irresponsible," especially in the context of the fact that the Mumbaikars stood by each other in the highest tradition of democracy when the terrorists struck the city by setting off explosions on June 11 last year.

"It is denigrating the status of the Prime Minister. It is regretful that the Opposition can speak like this," she said, while complaining that the BJP had a tradition of denigrating institutions, be it the Election Commission or the Presidential candidate.

Referring to the "release" of the hijackers of Indian airlines flight at Kandhahar under the BJP-led NDA rule in December 1999, Ms Chowdhary said it was these "empowered terrorists" who came back and attacked Indian Parliament.

She alleged that the BJP governments in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh were encouraging crimes.

"At the national level, the BJP came in the guise of Opposition and eroded the vitals of the nation." UNI