NEW DELHI: Asserting that those who had indulged in acts of terrorism should not be spared and be given stern punishment, the Bharatiya Janata Party national president, Rajnath Singh, on Saturday demanded that the Prevention of Terrorist Act (POTA) be brought back with immediate effect in order to tackle the growing menace of terrorism spreading across the country.

Speaking at a function organised by the Delhi BJP on the occasion of Balmiki Utsav, Mr. Singh charged the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre with failure to effectively deal with increased terrorist activity in various parts of the country resulting in the anti-national elements getting bolder with each passing day. The incidents of terrorist strikes were increasing and people were feeling completely unsafe and insecure under the present dispensation. All this was happening due to the lax policies of the Union Government that had failed to ensure proper internal security arrangements and take tough measures against those perpetrating "such inhuman acts."

Mr. Singh also lashed out at the Congress for seeking clemency for Mohammad Afzal Guru, the main accused in the Parliament attack. "Any kind of pardon at this juncture and on such a sensitive issue will badly demoralise the security forces and those soldiers who are defending our borders," he added.

Meanwhile, a BJP delegation led by Mr. Singh and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, L.K. Advani, would call on President A.P. J. Abdul Kalam along with several senior BJP leaders on Sunday evening to impress upon him not to grant clemency to Mohamad Afzal.

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