By IANS,
New Delhi : The Congress Monday attacked the Narendra Modi government in Gujarat over reports that it was preventing Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) from arresting a terror suspect involved in the Sep 29 Malegaon bomb blast.
Launching a scathing attack on Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s mascot, the Congress said: “There are disturbing reports that the Gujarat government and police, acting on the behest of the Gujarat chief minister, are preventing the ATS from picking up a certain person close to Modi and his government – namely Swami Asimanand’s associate Sunil Dhawde last week who is believed to be a suspect required for interrogation in connection with the Malegaon blast.”
Mail Today, a tabloid daily published from Delhi, Monday reported that the Gujarat police had stalled the Malegaon blast investigation by throwing the rulebook at the ATS, which is probing Sangh Parivar activist Pragya Thakur’s terror links in Gujarat.
Pragya, alongwith an Indian Army officer, and several others linked to the Sangh Parivar were arrested for their suspected involvement in the Sep 29 bomb blast in Maharashtra’s Malegaon town, which killed five people.
Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said: “It is absolutely shocking and condemnable that the Modi government should be un cooperative and actually put obstacles on the path of the ATS.”
“This clearly exposes the double standards and hypocrisy of the BJP and shows total lack of commitment of the partu, especially Modi, in fighting terror attacks,” Natarajan said.
She said the Malegaon attack suspects have to be interrogated and punished and “there cannot be two standards for those close to the BJP and others”.
The Congress also sought action against Madhya Pradesh Tourism Minister Tukoji Rao Puar, of the BJP, for allegedly throwing papers at the returning officer of the Sonkach assembly constituency in Dewas district.