New Delhi: Asserting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has zero-tolerance policy against terrorism, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday alleged the serial blasts in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad had direct links to the Samajwadi Party leaders in Uttar Pradesh.
“When it comes to terrorism, the BJP’s attitude and mindset has always been of zero tolerance. The SP takes the stand of complete protection on terrorism,” said Thakur.
“If I speak about Ahmedabad serial blasts, people died, got injured but it had direct links to the SP leaders in UP,” he added.
Thakur welcomed the special court’s decision to sentenced 38 people to death and 11 others to life imprisonment in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case.
“As many as 56 people were killed and scores others were injured. We welcome the recent decision of the court, the BJP welcomes it,” he said.
The Union Minister lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was the chief minister of Gujarat when the serial blasts took place in Ahmedabad.
“The SIT was formed. Action was taken against the terrorists in just 19 days. From providing evidence to getting hold of the terrorists, Modi’s government worked at that time. And even today, Modi government is committed to root out terrorism.,” he said.
The Union Minister’s diatribe against the Samajwadi Party comes a day ahead of polling for the third phase in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh.
Earlier on July 26, 2008, a series of blasts had rocked Ahmedabad city in which 56 people were killed and over 200 others hundred injured.
Islamic militant group Harkat-ul-Jihand-al-Islami had claimed responsibility of the attack.
As many as 21 bomb blasts were carried out by the outfit across the city in a span of 70 minutes. The trauma centre of the Ahmedabad civil hospital was also targeted in the blasts.
The attack was allegedly carried out by the terrorists as a revenge for the riots in Godhra, Gujarat, in 2002.