Ahmedabad serial blasts had direct links to Samajwadi party leaders, claims BJP

Lucknow, Feb 19: Making a serious allegation against the Samajwadi Party on Saturday, Union Minister and BJP leader Anurag Thakur claimed that one of the 2008 Ahmedabad blasts convicts was a member of the Samajwadi Party.

He asked SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to break his silence on the controversial SP neta who allegedly conspired the blasts which also targeted then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

"When it comes to terrorism, the BJP's attitude and mindset has always been of zero tolerance. The SP takes the stand of complete protection on terrorism," said Thakur.

"If I speak about Ahmedabad serial blasts, people died, got injured but it had direct links to the SP leaders in UP," he added.

Thakur showed a photograph in which the father of one of the convicted in the Ahmedabad blasts was seen with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to allege that the Samajwadi Party has "connections" with the Ahmedabad blasts perpetrators.

"One of these 49, Mohd Saif is the son of SP leader Shadab Ahmed. Why is Akhilesh silent over this? These photos show him with the then CM Akhilesh Yadav. Did Akhilesh Yadav call him over biryani? His son was the mastermind and involved in the blasts," Thakur further said.

The BJP leader welcomed the special court's decision to sentenced 38 people to death and 11 others to life imprisonment in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case.

"We welcome the judgment by the Court. Quantum of sentence was pronounced against 49 convicts - 38 were sentenced to capital punishment, 11 to life imprisonment. This had happened when Narendra Modi was the CM of Gujarat," he said.

The claims by Thakur came a day ahead of the third phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP and the SP are locked in a direct contest.