
In keeping with new BJP chief L.K. Advani8217;s aggressive line of portraying the Congress as a 8216;8216;national8217;8217; but not 8216;8216;nationalist8217;8217; party, the BJP today lashed out at the UPA government8217;s 8216;8216;soft approach8217;8217; on the issue of national security which, it claimed, has strengthened terrorist groups.
BJP spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today went as far as to claim that the handling of internal security issues by the Congress-led government 8216;8216;has undoubtedly been the worst since Independence8217;8217;.
Echoing Advani8217;s comments during a press conference here last week and in Hyderabad yesterday, Naqvi accused the Congress of 8216;8216;bending over backwards to meet such demands like repeal of POTA, talks with Naxalite groups without their first laying down arms and Congress senior ministers in Assam cozying up to the ULFA.8217;8217; The Congress government8217;s decision to lift the ban on the People8217;s War and holding talks with them in Andhra Pradesh had only made the state 8216;8216;a safe hub for Naxalites8217;8217;, with Left wing extremist groups in other states gaining from the Centre8217;s 8216;8216;confused policy8217;8217; on the issue, he said.
The BJP spokesman listed major terrorist attacks in J-K and the North-East this month to underline the deterioration in law and order under the UPA dispensation.