Bring back POTA, Venkaiah Naidu urges Centre

Gulbarga, Karnataka, May 14 (UNI) BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu today asked the UPA Government to reintroduce POTA and take a firm stand to stamp out terrorism from the country.

Condemning yesterday's serial blasts in Jaipur that killed more than 60 people, he said terror activities were on the rise in the country because of the ''lenient and appeasing policies'' of the Congress that led the UPA Government.

Speaking to reporters here, he said there was no need for any inquiry into the incident as it was a clear case of external terrorist forces creating havoc in the country.

''Their main goal is to cripple our economy and subvert progress and development,'' he said.

Demanding the Centre revive POTA, he lamented that at present there was no statute to deal with terrorist groups.

Describing the Congress as 'father and mother' for the growing terrorism in the country, he said the Congress leaders' wrong policies led to the increase of terrorism.

''Congress is responsible for the burning of Kashmir. It helped Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale in Punjab.

''It first helped the LTTE and later sent the IPKF resulting in the death of hundreds of Indian soldiers,'' he charged.

Referring to the Kandahar plane hijack episode, he said the Congress leaders had demonstrated in front of Prime Minister's house demanding freeing of the militants to get the hostages released.

''To save the lives of 132 innocent people, the terrorists were freed by BJP-led NDA Government,'' he said.

Blaming the Congress for not approving the hanging of condemned terrorist prisoner Afzal Guru, he ridiculed that Afzal had become a 'guru' to Congress leaders.

He said the state governments could not tackle the terror acts as it was not a law and order problem. The Centre should take responsibility of curbing terrorism.

''The Centre should send a strong message to our enemy countries that India will not keep quiet if they support those who carry out terrorist activities in India,'' he added.

UNI DP RS GM SB KN2008