‘We don’t spare terrorists, their mentors’
*Cong remained soft on terrorism for vote bank
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 28: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government, whether in Centre or State, is engaged in crushing terrorism with heavy hand to ensure development, peace and harmony in the country.
“We don’t spare the terrorists and kill mentors of terrorists by entering in their houses,” Modi said addressing election rallies in Gujarat.
Asserting that the BJP is engaged in finishing terrorism, he said the Government is working with full force for development of the country and to maintain peace and harmony.
“I recall pictures of Mumbai terror attack 14 years back. This was the biggest terror attack in the country. However, the then Congress Government instead of acting against mentors of the terrorists, was busy in labelling Hindus as the terrorists,” the Prime Minister said.
He was referring to 26/11 Mumbai terror attack whose anniversary was observed by the country only couple of days back.
Asserting that it is the BJP Government which can take decisions of surgical and air strikes, Modi declared that this Government doesn’t spare the terrorists.
“The Congress views terrorism from the prism of vote bank. Not only Congress, but many like-minded parties have come up now who view terrorism as a shortcut to achieving success and this small party’s hunger for power is even bigger,” he said, without naming the party. The PM accused the Congress of going soft on terror in a bid to protect its vote bank.
Modi said the mouths of these parties remain “locked when big terrorist attacks take place so that their vote bank is not offended. They even go to courts from the back door to save terrorists”.
“When Batla House encounter took place, a Congress leader cried for terrorists,” he said, adding “Gujarat and the country should remain alert from such parties”.
The 2008 encounter, which was launched following specific input about the presence of terrorists affiliated with the Indian Mujahideen, resulted in the deaths of two terrorists hiding in a flat in the Batla House area in Okhla. A police officer was also martyred in the operation on September 19, 2008.
“Terrorism was at its peak during the Congress rule. Gujarat had long been a target of terrorism. The people of Gujarat were killed in explosions in Surat and Ahmedabad. Congress was at the Centre then, we asked them to target terrorism but they targeted me instead,” the Prime Minister said.
“Your one vote in 2014 has created a lot of difference in killing terrorism in the country. Terrorists have to think a lot even before attacking our borders. But Congress questions our surgical strike. The youth of the state, aged up to 25 years, have never seen what a curfew looks like. I have to save them from the bomb explosions, only BJP’s double-engine Government can do this,” he said.
Modi said Congress considers terrorism as its vote bank, adding that several other parties indulging in appeasement politics also have arisen.
“The Assembly elections in Gujarat are scheduled to be held in two phases on December 1 and December 5, whose results will be declared on December 8.
In the 2017 Gujarat polls, the BJP was halted at 99 seats out of a total of 182 seats.
The party has been in power for the last 27 years with Modi being the State’s longest-serving Chief Minister.
This time, the party under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CR Patil is aiming at getting its highest seat tally exceeding 140.
The State has been a BJP stronghold for long and the party has set its sights on returning to power for the seventh term. Modi has been Gujarat’s longest-serving chief minister from 2001 till 2014.
However, it faces electoral challenge from the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which named Isudan Gadhvi its Chief Ministerial candidate.
The Congress also hopes to put its best electoral foot forward to unseat the BJP.
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