How can RSS-BJP defend terror accused, asks Cong

NEW DELHI: A day after the RSS/BJP brass joined hands in public to defend right-wing Hindu activists in the ATS net, the Congress on Monday accused the BJP of trying to ���blatantly communalise the issue of terrorism��� and ���politicising criminal investigation.���

Citing the move of various BJP leaders, including its president Rajnath Singh, to give a clean chit in advance to those facing ATS investigation, the AICC questioned the credibility of the saffron camp to speak against terrorism.

���How can a mainstream political party indulge in such an irresponsible act of shielding terror-accused by giving them a clean chit in advance? The entire criminal justice system would be subverted if this kind of attitude is accepted.

How can the BJP ��� the very same BJP, which had accused everyone except itself of being soft on terror day in and day out ��� now support those who stand accused of terrorist acts,��� asked Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi.
���These accused are not to be looked at as Hindus or Muslims, but people who stand accused of indulging in terrorist activities on the basis of enormous evidence.

The other day, the Public prosecutor unravelled part of that evidence before the court, the BJP has started targeting the ATS. But one must remember that there is a case-diary, there is an investigative officer there is a court which are now looking into these charges. How can the BJP, a so-called mainstream political party, then simply give a blanket clean chit to the accused just because they happened to belong to a particular religion,��� he asked.

Targeting the RSS and other right wing Hindu outfits which joined hands to support those who were arrested by ATS, Mr Singhvi said: ���After the way RSS leaders like Sudarshan have come out to defend the terror accused, can they call themselves patriotic or balanced people?

How can they openly support those who are accused of terrorism even after the investigating agency produced a huge volume of evidence against them. Here they are attacking the prime minister and the government just because they are enforcing the law and prosecutes terror accused. This is clearly shows the double standard of the RSS and BJP,��� he said.