PM lashes out at Muslims
12 April 2002 21:29 IST Changing his tone sharply from his visit to the burning state of Gujarat before going abroad, prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today lashed out at Muslim community, accusing them of spreading terrorism throughout the world.
Addressing a public rally at Campal grounds in Goa, he also held the Godhra incident primarily responsible for paving way to spread the communal violence in Gujarat.
"I am not justifying what happened after the Godhra incident. But it is also important to understand who lit the fire", he said. It was a conspiracy hatched with an intention to spread communal tension, he added.
The prime minister also expressed concern over increasing culture of militancy in the Islam, giving up its basic principle of humanity. "They talk of Jihad and want to conquer the whole world in the name of Islam by spreading terrorism", he alleged.
Not only India, said Vajpayee, but the Al Qaida terrorists were also found indulged into terrorist activities in countries like Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. Rather than living with co-existence, he expressed regrets that Muslims were following the path of fear and terror.
Comparing Hindu-dominated India where people are living in harmony, Vajpayee alleged that the Muslim-dominated countries are spreading terror among the minorities there. "That is why India is admired by the world", he said.
Though Vajpayee preferred not to touch the issue of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's resignation, BJP president Jana Krishnamurthy in his speech accused the Congress, leftists and the media for running after Modi's head.
Was Tamil Nadu chief minister Karunanidhi's resignation asked for when there were bomb blasts during union home minister L K Advani's visit, he asked, while praising Modi for controlling the situation well in Gujarat and his efforts to bring normalcy.
Incidentally, he was speaking soon after announcing before the media Modi tendering resignation to the national executive while the party's governing body was yet to take a final decision in this regard.
Accusing the Congress of organising chief ministers' meeting in Guwahati with a sole intention to get Modi sacked, the party chief also appealed to the opposition party not to play such games. "Even we can play such games", he warned.
