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Congress soft on terror: Modi repeats charge

Neena Vyas

Gujarat not allowed to implement law against terror: Modi
“Only BJP governments fighting terrorism and naxalism”

BANGALORE: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday gave a clear indication that terrorism would be its main plank in the coming Assembly elections and the subsequent Lok Sabha polls.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention, in the discussion on the political resolution at the national executive committee meeting here, focussed sharply on this subject. He charged that the Congress under Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had diluted the party’s commitment to nationalism. “The Congress under Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and Dr. Manmohan Singh has drifted [away from] the traditional Congress position on national sovereignty.”

Delhi blasts

The focus on terrorism acquired a a sharper edge with the news from Delhi that terrorists struck once again. Mr. Modi’s criticism, that despite urgent pleas Gujarat had not been allowed to implement the legislation passed by the Assembly against terror, was presented as the Centre’s unwillingness to fight terror with determination.

Over the two days of the three-day BJP conclave, the signal was that only a National Democratic Alliance government with L.K. Advani as Prime Minister could take up this fight earnestly and only Chief Ministers like Mr. Modi had the political will to fight the menace to the finish.

Mr. Modi reiterated the BJP’s charges against the Centre: it is “soft” on terror and therefore repealed the Prevention of Terrorism Act; it has delayed the hanging of the Parliament attack case convict Mohammad Afzal; during the Kashmir crisis the Centre surrendered to separatist forces in the Valley; it has allowed illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to continue “to invade India;” partners in the UPA have been defending the Students Islamic Movement of India; the Sachar Committee report was intended to be used to introduce “communal budgeting;” Christian missionaries engaged in aggressive religious conversions were being protected by the Centre; and the nuclear deal compromised national security.

Mr. Modi said that only the BJP governments in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh were fighting terrorism and naxalism.

Note to media

The party distributed to the media a note on Mr. Modi’s intervention. In the past it, at most, briefed the media on some points made by leaders during their interventions.

Does this mean the party is projecting Mr. Modi as the big leader in the party after Mr. Advani, journalists asked general secretary Ananth Kumar. Later he told one journalist: “Would you be able to respond if someone asked you who your next editor would be?”

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