Congress appeasing terrorists: BJP

Bhubaneswar, Jan 17 (PTI) BJP today questioned the secularcredentials of the Congress and accused it of appeasingterrorists and engaging in a loot of the nation through"scores of scandals".

"Secularism for Congress is appeasement of terrorists. Whyis Afzal Guru not hanged despite order from Supreme Court?"BJP president Nitin Gadkari posed at a rally here.

It was because of its appeasement policy that the Congressdid not take action against terrorists involved in theParliament attack, he alleged.

AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi had told US ambassadorTimothy Roemer that growth of "radicalised Hindu groups" whichcreate religious tensions in India could pose a bigger threatto the country than activities of groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba.

"What kind of secularism is this?" he asked.

Terrorists and criminals have no religion or faith andthey need to be booked under provision of law, he said.

Slamming Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for hisstatement "every bone of my body is secular", Gadkari askedwhy the killers of VHP leader Laxamananda Saraswati were notnabbed even after about two and half years.

"Is it because Saraswati belonged to Hindu community?" heasked ridiculing Patnaik.

BJP, Gadkari said, did not believe in politics based onreligion, caste and creed but was pursuing politics ofdevelopment. "We want to make India a prosperous nation."

"We also believe that politics is means of socio-economicreforms," he said adding Congress lost the Bihar Assemblypolls as BJP had worked for the state''s development.

The BJP president lambasted UPA government at the Centreaccusing it of having "direct link" in the 2G spectrum scamand the Commonwealth Games scandal.

"2010 is the year of scandals," he said adding Boforsissue had exposed the "real character" of Congress leaders.

"What is the Gandhi family''s relationship with Quattrocchiand his wife Maria?" Gadkari asked, claiming that the couplehad direct access to the Gandhi family.

He asked the people to give BJP another chance andpromised to put irrigation in the concurrent list instead ofthe state list.