Centre trying to defer Afzal execution till UP polls: Joshi

GORAKHPUR(UP): Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi today accused the UPA government of trying to postpone the execution of Afzal Guru, sentenced to death for the 2001 Parliament attack, until the end of Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls to garner Muslim votes.

“Political parties are competing for vote bank and national security is at stake due to this attitude,” Joshi said while talking to reporters here.

The UPA has no clear-cut policy on combating terrorism and the country is going to suffer on the security front. “The NDA government had forced Pakistan to sign a pact that unless it discards the policy of protecting terrorists there would be no talk, but the UPA has altered it and is now ready to compromise,” he alleged.

Joshi also deplored the decision to not provide reservation for SC/ST and OBCs in minority institutions, saying this would “instigate religious conversion”.

On NDA convenor George Fernandes’ statement about supporting Samajwadi Party for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, he said, “Let that happen first then we would decide our stand.”