BJP slams UPA Govt. for being soft on terrorism

Shimla, May 9 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday slammed Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for being soft in dealing with terrorists for vote-bank politics.

Addressing a rally at Shimla, BJP President Nitin Gadkari said: "Why doesn't the Congress party punish him (Afzal Guru)? Now Kasab has been sentenced to death but I am afraid that the Congress party thinks that hanging Afzal Guru and Kasab will affect their vote bank politics. Will those who attacked the unity and integrity of this country be appeased? Will we glorify those who attacked the Parliament?" said Nitin Gadkari.

Gadkari alleged that ruling Congress party was using terrorism to strengthen its Muslim vote bank.

He remarked that for Congress party the meaning of secularism has changed to appeasement of terrorists and that there was is a sense of insecurity all across the country.

"Will we idolise those militants come to this country after getting trained by ISI and Lashkar-e- Toiba, and attack our innocent countrymen? Will we wrap garlands around their necks? Is this the way the government will work in this country? So can we wipe out militants from this country like this? The Congress party is soft on the terrorists because it wants to use militancy for vote bank politics," added Nitin Gadkari.

Also present at the rally was Prem Kumar Dhumal, the chief of Himachal Pradesh.

The BJP has blamed the Congress party for being lackadaisical in punishing mastermind of the Parliament attack case, Mohammad Afzal Guru.

Five gunmen had stormed the heavily guarded Parliament complex in December 2001 and killed nine people before being shot dead by guards.

The death sentence of Mohammad Afzal Guru, accused of conspiracy in the attack, has been stayed, as his mercy petition is pending before the President of India. (ANI)