BJP leader criticises Cong's soft handling of terrorism

Hyderabad, Jun 18 (UNI) Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister of State for Home Vidyasagar Rao today alleged that the ''soft-handling'' of terrorism by the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre had posed a threat to national integrity.

Addressing a press conference here after releasing a poster christened ''Dharma Yudh'' against the UPA Government, he called for a wider debate across the country on the Government's handling of the sensitive issue. The Centre by succumbing to 'vote bank politics' was putting the country's interest at jeopardy, he charged.

It was unfortunate that the ruling Congress had drawn a 'crude parallel' between Afzal Guru, the convict in the Parliament attack case, and Sarabjit Singh, an Indian who was lodged in a jail in Pakistan, the BJP leader said.

Afzal, through his statement that a decision on his death sentence could be taken only when BJP leader L K Advani became the Prime Minister, was covertly putting pressure on the UPA Government to grant him an early clemency.

It may be noted that Afzal was found guilty in the case relating to the attack on Parliament in December 13, 2001, in which seven security personnel were killed. His death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2004.

His execution, however, is on hold with the Government yet to revert to Rashtrapati Bhavan on his clemency petition.

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