BJP plays terror card in poll campaign

BJP leaders want Modi to address in Delhi to showcase his government’s success in cracking the blasts case in Ahmedabad, and how he had warned the Centre of more attacks, reports Moushumi Das Gupta.

On a day of a fierce encounter with terrorists in the Capital, the BJP brought the “war on terrorism” to kick start its election campaign in the Capital. The party brought in their mascot —Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi—to highlight the UPA government’s "complete failure" to address the frequent terrorist attacks.

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Led by Advani, BJP leaders had wanted Modi to address in Delhi to showcase his government’s success in cracking the blasts case in Ahmedabad, and how he had warned the Centre of more attacks.

So much so that, as the rain threatened to play spoil sport at Karol Bagh’s Ajmal Khan Park, senior BJP leaders cut short their speeches to let Modi speak, and he stole the show.

“I informed the PM that the terrorist arrested in the Ahmedabad blast had said during their interrogation that Delhi is on the hit list. But even this did not move to Centre to action. Had the government taken the advice seriously, lives of innocent people could have been saved,” said Modi.

Modi said: “The government is more worried about misuse of POTA than about innocent people getting killed in terror attack. Terrorism has become increasingly hi-tech. India can’t fight terrorism with outdated 19th century law.”

Even Advani sought to play a Modi by asking people to write en-masse to the President demanding the execution of Afzal Guru. Modi had made a similar move asking people to demand President’s assent for Gujarat’s anti-terror law.

“The Congress is just worried to form and run the government but BJP is more eager to run the country,” said Rajnath Singh, BJP president.

The Delhi government came in under scathing attack. “Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit has been sitting over the Union Home Ministry’s file seeking hanging of Parliament attack accused Afzal Guru for the last three years. Is this how we plan to take on terrorists?,” said Arun Jaitley.