Author: PTI
Publication: The Times of India
Date: October 13, 2008
Attacking the UPA government for skipping
the issue of terrorism at the National Integration Council meet, Gujarat Chief
Minister Narendra
Modi on Monday said it was promoting "vote-bank
politics".
"The Government is trying to promote
vote-bank politics by avoiding a discussion on terrorism. Terrorism is the
biggest enemy of the country but still the government has no courage to say
so," Modi told reporters.
Accusing the Centre of adopting a "casual
approach" on the issue at the NIC, he said the government was not ready
to discuss terrorism which has affected the whole country badly.
"Government's approach towards NIC is
very casual. Till October 10 there was no agenda and the agenda sent just
before the NIC meeting did not mention terrorism. The government is not prepared
to discuss terrorism although the country is badly affected by it.
"When I pressed for inclusion of terrorism
in the agenda, the government just mentioned extremism. Government does not
know the difference between terrorism and extremism.. It is a very casual
approach. The Government should have discussed terrorism today," Modi
said.
Addressing the NIC, the Hindutva poster-boy
called for "isolating", people, groups and "the so called intellectuals
supporting terrorism in the name of protection of human rights" and lashed
out at those who talk about the "vulnerability of a particular section."
The firebrand BJP leader again made a strong
pitch for clearing the state's anti-terror law GUJCOC, awaiting presidential
assent for the last four years, saying "extra-ordinary responses"
were required to deal with terror.
