'Central government framing Hindu leaders'

RAIPUR: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh on Wednesday accused the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government of deliberately targeting Hindu leaders and framing them in the Sep 26 Malegaon blast case.

"Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has no evidence against Hindu religious leaders but it is continuously targeting them as part of a conspiracy hatched by the Congress-led government at the centre," Rajnath Singh said here.

The ATS on Monday filed an application in a Mumbai court seeking permission to interrogate a "high profile" Hindu leader and obtain cooperation from the Uttar Pradesh government in doing so.

Though declining to name the leader, the ATS has discreetly conducted operations in Farrukhabad and eastern Uttar Pradesh and found vital leads to the Malegaon bombing that claimed six lives.

"The UPA government is giving terrorism a communal hue by deliberately targeting Hindu religious leaders. It will result in communal polarisation of Hindus and Muslims in the country," the BJP chief added.

He strongly defended Adityanath, a BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh, who Tuesday dared the ATS to arrest him following speculation over his involvement in the Malegaon blasts.

"I personally know Adityanath and he is not the sort of person who can get involved in any terrorist activity. The Congress has failed to tackle terrorism and is now trying to target him," Rajnath Singh said.

"The Congress government's attempt to frame Hindu religious leaders is causing resentment among the Hindu community across the nation," he said.