BJP condemns landmine blast, blames AP Govt's soft policy

Hyderabad, Sep 7 (UNI) The BJP today condemned the ''dastardly attack'' by naxalites on the convoy of former Chief Minister N Janardhan Reddy and his wife and State Women and Child Welfare Minister N Rajyalaxmi, and blamed the Congress-led State Government's soft policy and quid pro-quo arrangement with the naxals for it.

In a statement here, BJP Spokesperson Prakash Javadekar alleged that the soft policy and quid pro-quo arrangements with naxalites by the Rajasekhara Reddy Government on the eve of Assembly elections had recoiled on them.

One-year ceasefire and release of overground sympathisers of naxalites had given them the opportunity to regroup and consolidate, he said, adding that now the reinforced ultras were attacking at will and striking with vengeance.

Mr Javadekar alleged that the soft policies of the UPA Government at the Centre and ''omission and commission of the Rajasekhara Reddy Government'' had made Andhra Pradesh a safe sanctuary for terrorism.

The BJP leader renewed his party's demand of a POTA-like act, stating that though POTA per se would not stop terror attacks, such laws demoralise terrorists and their overground sympathisers and embolden the spirit of security forces.

UNI