BJP will ban SIMI if it comes power: Venkaiah Naidu

Tirupati, Sep 28 (UNI) Criticising the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre to have failed to contain terrorism in the country, senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu today said his party would ban all the terrorist outfits, including SIMI, if it comes power at the Centre.

Addressing a public meeting organised to mark 'Sankalpa Yatra' here, he alleged that the Centre was soft on terrorism for the sake of vote bank politics.

Referring to terrorism, Mr Naidu said, such mindboggling violence were intended to disturb peace and impede country's economic development.

''The nation has become a blast furnace with the serial bomb blasts,'' he said, adding that stringent laws were needed to curb turbulent situations in the country.

''The UPA Government lifted the ban on Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) and has remained a mute spectator. The Government failed to control terrorism in the country and caved in meekly,'' he alleged.

Mr Naidu said the country would be divided into religion-based states, if the Congress Government inducted religion-based reservations.

Later, Mr Naidu flagged off the ten-day yatra for Rayalaseema development.

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