NEW DELHI: The Opposition's attempt to target the Government on its `soft attitude' towards terrorism during the discussion on Demands for Grants of the Home Ministry in the Lok Sabha was on Saturday countered by the ruling benches with frequent references to the `fake encounters' in Gujarat.

The state of affairs in Gujarat remained a recurrent theme of the interventions made during the daylong discussion, which saw frequent altercations between the ruling benches and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The first salvo was fired by Madhusudhan Mistry (Congress) — who along with several members of Parliament from both Houses staged a dharna within the complex against the `fake encounters' in Gujarat before the start of the day's proceedings.

Mr. Mistry, who hails from Gujarat, sought to present the ground reality; stating that the communal divide in the State was increasing by the day. Referring to the "unofficial ban" on the screening of the film `Parzania' in Gujarat, he said things had come to such a pass in the State that even personal decisions like the choice of a life partner were subject to the diktats of the moral police.

As for the Opposition charge that the United Progressive Alliance had diluted India's resolve to fight terrorism by repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act, Mr. Mistry reminded the BJP that the anti-terror law was in place when Parliament House and Akshardham Temple in Gujarat were attacked.

With the BJP questioning the `glorification' of Sohrabuddin Sheikh — whose death in a fake encounter by the Gujarat police has kicked up a storm — Ramjilal Suman (Samajwadi Party) said even if the party's argument that the deceased was a wanted criminal was correct, "does it give anyone the right to kill him."

Similar was the intervention of Mohammad Salim (Communist Party of India-Marxist). Referring to the BJP's criticism of the Government being soft on terrorism, he said: "Gujarat is a hard State, but do people feel secure there? A large number of minorities are living in camps; people have been turned into refugees in their own country." Urging people not to see terrorism through a communal prism, he lamented the manner in which an entire community was being branded.

Though he joined others in criticising Gujarat for its anti-minority record, Ilyas Azmi (Bahujan Samaj Party) said the State was not alone on this count; he listed Maharashtra, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh as other provinces where Muslims are routinely picked up and harassed.

Taking a dig at the Congress, he said "my secular brothers are vocal on Gujarat but silent about Maharashtra." He referred to the attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh headquarters in Nagpur where members of the minority community were picked up and booked under trumped up charges.

Taking a cue from Mr. Azmi, the Janata Dal (United) leader Prabhunath Singh said it was wrong to single out Gujarat on the issue of communal violence. Also, according to him, the Government should ban organisations fanning communalism irrespective of their political affiliations.

Not new, says Mehbooba

Among the participants in the dharna outside Parliament against the Gujarat `fake encounters' was Mehbooba Mufti (People's Democratic Party) who said such encounters were not new to India, particularly in terrorism-prone areas like Jammu & Kashmir and the north-east. Mentioning her party's demand for withdrawal of troops — a point that came up for much criticism from the BJP which accused the Congress of giving in only to stay in power in the State — Ms. Mufti clarified that the PDP was seeking withdrawal only from the civilian areas and not the borders. Further, she said, the Government should restore civilian rights in all those areas — be it her State or the north-east — where the situation on the ground has improved.

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