Congress, SP Want To Weaken Fight Against Terrorism: Amit Shah

Pilibhit (UP), Feb 21 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday alleged that the SP and the Congress want to weaken the country’s fight against terrorism and leaders of both parties in the past batted for the release of people involved in acts of terror.

At an election rally here, Shah alleged that Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra responding to a question on terrorism in an interview said they don’t have time for such 'useless talk'.

'On one hand Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi says it is 'fizul ki baat' to check terrorism, on the other her party leader Salman Khurshid used to say that SIMI people caught for the Ahmedabad blasts are innocent and they should be released. He also defended them,' Shah said.

Shah alleged that Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) too had promised in its manifesto to release all accused in the Sankat Mochan temple bombings and the Lucknow blasts.

All terrorists would have been release had the Allahabad High not intervened, alleged Shah.

'Should such people who play with the security of the country for votes be considered for voting? The Congress and the SP together took a vow to weaken the fight against terrorism,' Shah alleged.

Shah said the BJP believes in zero tolerance against terrorism.

'It is our resolve that whoever is spreading terrorism, be it of any religion or caste, should be uprooted from this country and the world,' the minister said.

While trying to woo the Sikh community in Pilibhit, Shah said the sacrifice of Sikh gurus can’t be forgotten.

'We have read the history of the world. In remembrance of Sahibzadas, our prime minister named their sacrifice day as Veer Bal Diwas,' Shah said apparently referring to the children of 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.

Raising the slogan of 'Jo Bole So Nihal', Shah claimed that both the SP and the BSP have been wiped out in the three phases of the Assembly elections.

He said the BJP is the true well-wisher of the poor and if the SP comes to power in the elections, 'hooliganism will prevail again'.

'In the past five years, Yogi (Adityanath) has wiped out the mafia,' Shah claimed, adding that properties worth over Rs 2,000 crore have been freed from criminals.

Pilibhit BJP MP Varun Gandhi, who has made remarks against the party leadership recently over various issues of farmers, was not present during Shah's rally.

Earlier also, Gandhi had skipped election rallies of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are being held in seven phases, three rounds of which have been completed. The results will be out on March 10.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)