Modi lashes at Centre for “sitting” on Afzal’s mercy plea

“Why the UPA government is sitting on mercy petition filed by his (Afzal Guru)family which the President has referred to the cabinet”? Modi said while addressing an anti-terrorism rally of BJP at Chitnis Park Stadium in eastern part of the city.

Modi said it was unfortunate that some prominent Muslim leaders were “warning” the government of repercussions in case Afzal Guru was hanged.

He recalled that killers of retired Army Chief General Arunkumar Vaidya were hanged after the union cabinet rejected the mercy plea within eleven hours of the President’s sending it to the cabinet.

Modi also accused the government of indulging in appeasement of Muslims.Muslim headcount in military, changing structure of Aligarh Muslim University and scrapping of POTA are some of decisions to appease muslims, Modi alleged.

The Government has scrapped POTA which was meant to tackle terrorism with iron hand and surprisingly the government decision was by and large welcomed by people in Pakistan who burst crackers and distributed sweets. “Is it not the government’s failure?”

Modi dubbed Congress as “B-team” of Muslim League and said “if you look at the demands of Muslim League during pre-independence era, Congress was functioning on the same lines and it is bent upon dividing the country once again on the lines of religion.”

Modi dared the UPA government to bring religion-based reservations.He said that in the Constituent Assembly there was none from VHP, Bajrang Dal but the patriotic members vehemently opposed reservation on basis of religion.

Touching the issue of farmers suicide in Maharashtra, Modi said his government has introduced a Soil Health Card and directed about 750 agriculture scientists to leave their laboratories and work in the field.

“Why can’t Vilasrao Deshmukh government initiate identical measures to check suicide by farmers in Maharashtra?” he said.