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Thursday, Dec 06, 2007
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Congress encouraging terrorists by its actions: Narendra Modi

Special Correspondent

Targets UPA government on ‘failure’ to execute court order to hang Afzal Guru

— Photo: PTI

Wooing voters: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi addressing a rally in Godhra on Wednesday.

GODHRA: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday raised the Afzal Guru issue and repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) to target the Congress and its president, Sonia Gandhi.

Throwing a challenge to the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, Mr. Modi said, “If you cannot execute the Supreme Court’s order to hang him, send him to Gujarat.” He, however, did not elaborate what treatment Gujarat would give to Afzal Guru.

Mr. Modi undertook a “road show” through the tribal-dominated Dahod and the Panchamahals districts before flying off to Broach and other parts of south Gujarat to address meetings.

He claimed that the Congress and Ms. Gandhi had lost all credibility on the terrorism issue as the party-led UPA government failed to execute the Supreme Court’s verdict to hang Afzal Guru, convicted in the Parliament attack case. Mr. Modi also criticised the UPA government both for repealing POTA, which he said further encouraged the terrorists to target the country, and also for its failure to approve the state’s bill to counter organised crime, which at least could have replaced POTA in this border State.

“But the Congress only talks about terrorism and does nothing to counter it and instead is encouraging terrorists by its actions,” he said.

Teesta Setalvad’s plea

J. Venkatesan writes from New Delhi:

The Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) urged the Election Commission on Wednesday to take action against Mr. Modi for allegedly preaching hatred against a community in his election speech on Tuesday.

Secretary of the CJP Teesta Setalvad said in a memorandum to Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami: “Mr. Narendra Modi has reportedly used a blatantly communal angle in his speech at Mangrol in south Gujarat on December 4, saying that ‘Sonia Gandhi spoke of terrorism. But she has no right to talk of this… the Congress in Gujarat is raising its voice on the Sohrabuddin issue. But it should explain what should be done to a man who stored illegal arms? You tell me what should be done?’ and the crowds reportedly shouted back, ‘kill him, kill him’.”

Ms. Setalvad said, “We believe this is an open exhortation to violence, an illegal act by a person seeking re-election to a powerful and responsible position in the State. It also amounts to an unconstitutional and unhealthy attitude in a leading politician in a polity. We also believe that this amounts to blatant misuse of religion for political ends and is violative of the Election Code of Conduct since indirectly Mr. Modi is only referring to ‘Sohrabuddin’, a Muslim, being killed and not of the manner in which his wife, Kauserbi, an innocent, was killed as also was Tulsiram Prajapati, and Mahendra Kadhav, Ganesh Kunthe (in other incidents of encounters).”

She said: “In any case, an illegal act by agents of the State (Modi and his chosen policemen) is illegal regardless of who the victim is and which community he hails from. To equate and justify a criminal act with a particular community is nothing short of introducing communal politics in the electoral arena and fomenting hatred against a section of our people.”

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