New Delhi, Feb 19: Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday said father of one of those accused of Ahmedabad blast has links with the Samajwadi Party, and questioned SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav’s silence after the judgment.
Addressing a press conference at BJP headquarters, Thakur said the party welcomes the judgement, and accused the SP of “sheltering terrorists”.
Talking about the 2008 Ahmedabad blasts, “The blasts happened in Gujarat, but it was connected to SP leaders in Uttar Pradesh. SP leaders are quiet even after the court order. It raises a finger towards SP giving shelter to terrorists”.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time of the blasts, visited the spot despite security agency inputs of attacks being planned on him, and action was taken within days. “Modi government is committed to fighting terrorism. Whether it’s SIMI or Indian Mujahedeen, Modi government has broken their backs. Security agency reports said there were plans to attack Modi ji,” said the BJP leader who is also the co-incharge for the UP polls.
Thakur showed a photograph which he said was of Yadav, along with father of one of the accused in the case, Md Saif.
“Did Akhilesh Yadav call him to have Biryani? A man who’s son is the mastermind…” he said.
He also read out a couplet attacking the SP. “Atankiyo se karr pyar, Jinnah ke kaside gaye hazar, UP police par kare waar, Samajwadi hain tushtikaran ke Yaar (Loving terrorists, singing praises of Jinnah, attacking UP police, SP is a friend of politics of appeasement),” he said.
He said criminals were emboldened by SP and the Yogi government has broken their backs.
“In 2012, SP said in its manifesto that it will drop the charges of terror, and said action will be taken against police officers involved…They went to court and asked to drop charges. Court said if you release them today are you going to give Padma Bhushan,” he said.
Thakur also accused the Congress of supporting terrorists and mentioned allegations linking the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with pro-Khalistan outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ).
A special court handed out the death sentence to 38 of the 49 convicts in the Ahmedabad blast case on Friday. As many as 21 blasts had rocked Ahmedabad in a span of 70 minutes on July 26, 2008, killing 56 people and injuring over 200.
