BJP cautions Cong to drag defence for furthering political goals

New Delhi, Nov 12 (UNI) Daring the UPA and the Maharashtra Government to proceed and prosecute any 'institution or individual' for their alleged role in the terrorist activities in the country if they had requisite evidence, the BJP today cautioned the UPA and the Congress against any attempts to drag the defence establishments for furthering their political goals.

Taking strong exception to the 'leaks' by the Anti Terrorist Squad(ATS) of the Maharashtra Government dragging the names of political leaders into the terror ambit, senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters that the Congress had 'notorious history' of helping terror suspects.

He said even a former Gujarat Minister Mohammad Surti was sentenced for 20 years imprisonment for transporting explosive materials, used in the 1993 blasts in Surat by a trial court.

Now the Congress and the NCP were seeking to drag the nationalist forces and the BJP leaders into the September 29 Malegaon blast case, he alleged.

The BJP leader alleged that the ATS was behaving like a 'political tool' releasing the names of leaders listed for questioning. They coined a new word 'Hindu terror' to the dictionary in their attempt to woo traditional vote bank.

Alleging the Centre of adopting double standards to deny BJP-ruled states for effective laws like the one existing in Maharashtra, Mr Naidu said they had rejected consent from President Pratibha Devisingh Patil to the laws passed by Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh Assemblies.

He said the Supreme Court had accepted the provisions of Maharashtra law and the same law from BJP-ruled states was not recommended for the presidential assent.

Mr Naidu said the BJP would bring to the notice of the Election Commission about an election irregularity, committed by the authorities in accepting the A and B forms of a Congress candidate in Sankoch Assembly constituency in Dewas district by the Returning Officer after 1500 hrs.

''The party will provide evidence to the EC certified by the Returning Officer which shows that the A and B forms of Congress candidate Abhay Verma were not received till the time prescribed for receiving the nomination papers. The column having the status of INC candidate showed 'blank' whereas later the authorities were claiming that the candidate had submitted the requisite proforma,'' Mr Naidu alleged.

UNI MCN SW AS1831