BJP misusing Jaipur blasts to polarise people

Jaipur, May 16 (UNI) AICC General Secretary and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot today deplored the BJP for its alleged bid to ''misuse'' Tuesday's serial blasts to polarise people on communal lines.

Talking to reporters here, Mr Gehlot said BJP Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's allegations that the UPA Government's stand was ''soft'' against terrorism was aimed to polarise Hindu and Muslim votes in view of the upcoming Assembly elections.

He said BJP leaders' undue attempt to dock the UPA Government for alleged ''failure in alerting the state against the threat of terror strike'' was also meant for securing political mileage.

Mr Gehlot said this was not appropriate for the ruling party to tread politics on such sensitive and tragic incident.

He said the Centre had never blamed any state government for any sort of failure under such tragic situations or calamities.

The Congress leader also took exception to unsavy comments made by Chief Minister Raje over Congress president Sonia Gandhi's visit to Jaipur yesterday to meet the serial blasts victims.

He said the Chief Minister had no business in criticising Ms Gandhi's visit and making ''indecent reference''.

This was against high political conventions and practice of the state as Congress had never criticised visits of national leaders of BJP or any other party on such occasions, he said.

Moreover, it was Ms Gandhi's practice that she did visit every place at the time of such tragedy or calamity.

He further said Ms Raje was scared of Ms Gandhi's charisma and Congress' growing popularity among people ahead of Assembly elections.

Taking exception to Chief Minister's visit to SMS Hospital shortly before Ms Gandhi's visit yesterday morning, Mr Gehlot said, ''The Chief Minister's act was against the established SPG security norms and by doing so Ms Raje put in peril Ms Gandhi as well as her own security''.

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