BJP will bring in strong anti-terror law: Naqvi

Bangalore: A day after a terror strike near the BJP office in Bangalore left 16 persons injured, party leader Muktar Abbas Naqvi today said their first priority would be to bring a strong anti-terrorism law if BJP-led NDA is voted to power in the next Lok Sabha elections. “The party’s first effort would be to bring in a strong anti-terrorism law like the POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002) if it is voted to power,” Naqvi told reporters in the Karnataka capital.[caption id=“attachment_710162” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Muktar Abbas Naqvi. PTI[/caption] He said the BJP had always given priority to internal and national security issues in every election. Incidents such as bomb blasts take place because of the “soft approach” adopted by the Central government towards terrorists and anti-social elements, Naqvi alleged. The BJP leader said the party does not want to politicise the Bangalore bomb blast as it had always offered support to the ruling party on the issue of terror. “Everybody knows about the Congress’ reaction to the terrorist and inhuman act which came just an hour after the incident took place,” he said, in an apparent reference to Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed’s remark that the blast would help the BJP “politically”. Congress has distanced itself from the remarks. He said BJP was the only alternative to meet challenges of internal and national security as it had “most popular” leaders unlike Congress which has Sonia Gandhi and family members along with “Prime Minister-on-deputation” Manmohan Singh. Incidentally, BJP chief ministers have expressed opposition to UPA’s proposed anti-terrorism body NCTC (National Centre for Counter Terrorism) on the ground that it interferes with state’s authority. Naqvi said the BJP will launch its election campaign in the state for the 5 May Assembly polls on 21 April when senior leaders LK Advani, party President Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Venkaiah Naidu and Ananth Kumar will participate. The BJP president will campaign for six days, while Swaraj will campaign for approximately four days, Naqvi said. Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will also campaign, Naqvi said. He maintained that the party was confident of winning the election again in Karnataka because it was going to give a strong message to the “most corrupt” government at the Centre. PTI