Even as serial bomb blasts rocked Ahmedabad just 24 hours after similar blasts ripped through Bengaluru, a war of words has already ensued between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
BJP president Rajnath Singh blamed the United Progressive Alliance government for its 'soft approach' because of which terrorists had grown bolder.
He also took the government to task for repealing POTA and for "sleeping over the anti-terror laws like GUJCOCA (an anti-terror law adopted by the Gujarat Assembly)".
Reacting to his statement, Congress party's chief spokesperson Veerappa Moily said, "It is an irresponsible statement, not befitting the occasion. It does not befit a national leader to speak in that kind of tone."
On the theory that terrorists have been targeting BJP- governed states like Rajasthan, Karnataka and now Gujarat, Moily said, "There is no consideration for any region or state. It is an attack on the country. There should be a consensus on part of political parties to deal with this question unitedly."
However, All India Congress Committee coordinator for Gujarat Rajiv Shukla blamed the BJP and state governments led by the party for their failure to curb terrorism.
"Wherever there is a BJP government, they have failed to stop terrorism, whether it is in Rajasthan, Karnataka or Gujarat. They only speak against terrorism to take votes but when Central agencies give information they do nothing to act on them," he said.
BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy shot back saying, "Do we consider this as a gift from the government to the nation on winning the confidence vote? Can they keep accusing states while trying to brush off their own responsibilities? After Jaipur and Bangalore it is now Ahmedabad, are these terrorists celebrating the Congress' victory in the confidence vote? We are compelled to ask questions as the nation is agitated when innocents are killed."