By IANS,
New Delhi : Accusing the Congress-led government of being soft on terror, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wednesday asked it to re-enact the Prevention of Terrorist Activities (POTA) Act and make public facts on the activities of the banned terror outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).
“Bring out a white paper and place all facts relating to subversive activities of SIMI and terrorists organisations operating under other names, like Indian Mujahideen, before the courts to ensure that the ban is continued and implement it with total resolve and determination,” BJP leader L.K. Advani told reporters here.
Last moth a Delhi High Court special tribunal had lifted the ban on SIMI, saying the government had failed to present sufficient evidence to justify restrictions. However, the government moved the Supreme Court which upheld the ban.
The SIMI is alleged to be behind the serial blasts in Ahmedabad and Jaipur that killed over hundred people earlier this year.
“We also want the government to re-enact POTA (scrapped by the United Progressive Alliance government) and other legislations to rein in terrorist outfits. The government has directly or indirectly encouraged terrorism by the way it has dealt with it,” Advani said in a press conference also addressed by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Modi said the Gujarat police had adequate evidence of SIMI’s involvement in the July 26 serial bombings in Ahmedabad.
“We have probed their widespread network. It has been found that now people aged above 30 too are working in SIMI. The ‘Indian Mujahideen’ under SIMI has spread its roots in nine states, including four in south, and work is being distributed to highly educated and people from well-to-do families,” he said.
Modi did not hesitate in referring to SIMI as Taliban.
He criticised the central government for withholding the Gujarat Control of Organised Crime (GUJCOC) Bill, 2003, which is awaiting the president’s assent. He said the proposed law was modelled on the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) to deal with crime syndicates and terrorism.
“Without a tough law like GUJCOC I feel helpless in dealing with terrorism. I have briefed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about it and still no step has been taken. The terrorists are enjoying this liberty,” he said.
Modi also denied that the central government had written any letter to his government on this issue.
“At least tell us in writing on what basis the central government is sitting over the proposed law. Tell us why it cannot be cleared when similar laws are in place in some other states,” he added.
Advani, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, added that the government, by not carrying out 2001 parliament attack convict Afzal Guru’s death sentence, had sent out the message that it feels no strong concern even for a concerted and well-planned attack on India’s parliament.
“The court’s decision on Afzal Guru should be executed without any delay.”
Guru’s mercy petition has been pending before the president.