Using GUJCOC, BJP says Cong playing terror politics

The BJP on Wednesday latched on the Union Home Ministry8217;s communication to President Pratibha Patil...

The BJP on Wednesday latched on the Union Home Ministry8217;s communication to President Pratibha Patil 8212; recommending that the GUJCOC Bill, 2003, be sent back to the Gujarat Assembly unsigned 8212; as it upped its offensive against the UPA Government for 8220;pandering to vote bank politics in the ongoing Malegaon blasts8221;.

Reacting to The Indian Express report in its November 12 edition, former BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu accused the Centre of 8220;creating obstacles8221; for states in their war on terror. The party, simultaneously, upped its offensive against the Congress-led Government for what it called a 8220;motivated campaign on Malegaon blasts8221;.

8220;Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may talk of dealing with terror, but the Government actually creates hurdles in way of states in enacting anti-terror laws to protect its people,8221; he said. 8220;GUJCOCA is on the lines of MCOCA. It has still not been given the Presidential assent8230;,8221; he added.

Speaking in Raipur, BJP president Rajnath Singh attacked the UPA Government8217;s 8220;attempts to raise the bogey of Hindu terror8221;. 8220;The Government is playing with fire by painting terrorism with communal colour,8221; he charged.

The BJP president also warned against any attempts 8220;to drag8221; the Gorakhpeeth in Gorakhpur 8212; which is represented by BJP-backed Yogi Adityanath in the Lok Sabha 8212; into the ongoing Malegaon blast investigation.

8220;It is unimaginable that Yogi Adityanath could be involved in any violent activities. Linking Adityanath to the Malegaon blast case is not procedural but political,8221; said Rajnath.

Adityanath, a fellow Thakur, wields influence in eastern Uttar Pradesh and is perceived to be a rival of the Rajnath camp in Uttar Pradesh.

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With L K Advani underlining the supremacy of law and saying the guilty, if any, should be punished, second-rung BJP leaders took care to endorse his stand. Venkaiah said that the guilty should be punished after an 8220;impartial probe8221;, Rajnath too said 8220;my party is not against punishing the guilty if found so in a fair probe8221;.