BJP rejects Patil charge that it is hurdle to fighting terror

New Delhi, Feb 18 (UNI) Rebutting Home Minister Shivraj Patil's insinuations that the BJP was a hurdle in fighting against terrorism, the BJP today said Mr Patil cannot absolve his responsibilities by such a blame game.

BJP spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy describing Mr Patil's statement in a television interview as 'frivolous and unsolicited', said that the country needed a clarification which political parties and their allies were soft pedalling on the issue of terrorism. The UPA repeal of POTA after it came to power depriving the police of special powers to deal with terrorist forces did not send the right signals, he said adding ''frequent doses of appeasement vitiated the societal atmosphere.'' UNI MCN PJ RP BD1828