Terrorists would get boost if Cong is voted to power: Modi

Mumbai : In the run up to Mumbai civic polls, BJP tonight launched a scathing attack on Congress charging terrorists would get a boost to their morale if the party is voted to power in Mumbai in the wake of July 11 train bomb blasts while its ally Shiv Sena stuck to its Hindutva plank.

Sharing the dais at a joint meeting here with Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said terrorists would get a boost to their morale if Congress is voted to power in Mumbai in the wake of July 11 blasts as it would send a signal that terrorism is not an issue that mattered.

Modi also attacked Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh for his “lack of concern” for development of the state. “Four states would have received 1495mw of power had Sardar Sarovar Dam been 121 mt in height but Vilasrao chose to adhere to the Congress’ policy and voted against the proposal, against wishes of energy-starved state,” he said.

Thackeray asked Hindus to break down linguistic barriers and come together to build a “Hindustan for Hindus” that will bring down “Islam to its knees”.

“It is my dream that we built Hindustan for Hindus. Maharashtrians or Punjabis alone can not fight against Islam. That is why, I appeal to all Hindus to break the linguistic wall around them and come together so that we can bring Islam in this country down to its knees,” Thackeray said, addressing rally of estimated over 60,000 people.

Today’s rally at Shivaji Park, a Sena stronghold in Central Mumbai, was the high point of Sena-BJP’s campaign for retaining its hold on Mumbai Municipal Corporation which they have ruled for the last ten years.

In his 20-minute speech Thackeray also dwelled briefly on problems faced by Mumbai and alleged there was a conspiracy to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra.

“Let them even try to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra and we will give them a fitting reply. One hundred and five martyrs, mostly mill workers, had sacrificed their lives for the cause of Maharashtra with Mumbai and we will not let it go to waste,” he said.

The Sena supremo also sought to silence critics who had sounded his party’s death knell, saying the party will live forever and prevail over those who seek to destroy it.

He said Sena must not be held responsible for the closure of mills in Central Mumbai and his party would oppose construction of malls on the mill land.

“If you have mall, we also have our `maul'” he said.

At the rally addressed by several top leaders of Sena and BJP in the state, Thackeray had the last word grabbing the mike when rally was just about to close.

“I have been told that my speech was disjointed but that is only because I was not sure how much time I should spare for our guest Narendra Modi,” he said.

“But I will meet all of you again at the victory rally in a few days,” he said.

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