Downplaying BJP's recent electoral reverses, Gujarat CM Narendra Modi claimed that terrorism was still a major issue for the people.
JAMMU: Downplaying BJP's recent electoral reverses, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi claimed that the saffron party winning more Assembly seats in all five states combined than the Congress showed that terrorism was a major issue for the people.
"While Congress won 265 seats in the recently concluded assembly elections of five states, BJP had 294 seats in its kitty," Modi said during election rallies at Bishnah and Akhnoor in Jammu yesterday.
The Gujarat Chief Minister rubbished suggestions that the electorate had given a thumbs down to BJP's strategy of making terrorism issue a major poll plank.
"Number of seats won by the BJP is a clear indicator that the terror issue had found favour among the people of the country and they want to get rid of terrorism," he said.
Criticising the Congress-led UPA government for scrapping POTA, Modi asked it to give up its soft approach on the terror issue and launch a decisive battle against the menace. "Terrorism can be rooted out completely provided the government has a strong resolve to do that," he said.
"Those who lack will power to act against terrorism cannot eliminate its roots. The terrorists also came to Gujarat, and were given a befitting reply."
Modi appreciated participation of of Jammu people in the two-month-long agitation for restoration of land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.
"I have come all the way from Gujarat specially to pay my respects to Jammu people for taking the two month long Amarnath land agitation to a logical conclusion," he said.
Modi alleged that some parties were damaging the country for vote bank politics.
He said that the "spirit of nationalism" displayed by the people of Jammu was a testimony that they can guide the nation in it's battle against the separatists forces.
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