Even terrorists know UPA govt is 'weak': BJP

Criticising the Central government's policy on the issue of terrorism, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday said that even militants were aware that strict action would not be taken against them by the United Progressive Alliance as the ruling coalition was a "weak" one.

"There is a difference between the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and the Manmohan Singh government. During our (NDA's) regime, attackers (terrorists) knew that either they will be caught or be killed," BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

"But now, terrorist know that action will be feeble against them because this government is weak and will bow down to the pressure for votes," he said at a seminar organised in New Delhi by Delhi Study Group on one year of governance of UPA-II.

Speaking on the issue of hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, Prasad said, "It's a matter of shame that Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit gives a statement that both of her chief secretaries had written that hanging of Afzal Guru will lead to tensions."

The BJP leader also criticised the government for its policy against Naxalites saying that the Prime Minister gave an "evasive reply" to reporters on the issue during the national press meet.

He claimed that Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were joining hands with Naxalites, "but the government is unable to understand it."

He argued that development was not the way to contain the growing Naxal menace, as propagated by the government, and said, "They only want to capture power under the barrel of the gun."

"I have seen their (Naxal) terror in Bihar and Chhattisgarh. Several times I suggested them to come to the mainstream and contest election but nothing came out it," Prasad said.

He also claimed that Naxalites do not want any tribal leader to emerge from a democratic process (election). "They killed (JVM leader) Babaulal Marandi's, killed JMM leader Sudhir Mahato, made several murderous attempt on Congress leader Mahendra Karma... this is the nature of the challenge," he said.

Pointing out that there was difference of opinion within the Congress on the issue of dealing with terrorism and Naxalism, he said, "Digvijay Singh had gone to visit the village of terrorists in Azamgarh."