BJP to approach Kalam against moves to save Afzal

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday decided to approach President A P J Abdul Kalam and the people over its opposition to clemency to Mohammad Afzal, sentenced to death in Parliament attack case.

BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley dubbed moves to save Afzal from the gallows as acts of "misplaced sympathy" and alleged Congress "had no strategy in place to tackle terrorism".

Talking to reporters after a meeting of the party's core group on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, he said BJP would seek an appointment with Kalam to submit a memorandum against Afzal who "plotted to eliminate the country's political establishment".

Jaitley, whose party aims at reviving its national security plank ahead of assembly polls in four Hindi heartland states, said the moves for mercy for Afzal would give "fillip" to terrorism.

He accused Congress of being unable to deal with terrorism, which he alleged has escalated especially in Jammu and Kashmir.

"We discussed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir in on Wednesday's meeting. The situation has deteriorated there. There is rise in terrorism and infiltration," Jaitley said and accused the state government of failing to handle militancy and of bias against Jammu region.

In his comments after a meeting of the party's general secretaries, BJP leader Vinay Katiyar announced plans to reach out to the masses over what he alleged was Congress' support to Afzal.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Suresh Soni also attended the BJP's core group meeting at Vajpayee's residence. Sangh leaders from the northern region were also present.

The BJP's general secretaries also met here to review the party's high-pitched Vande Mataram campaign symbolizing Hindutva and discuss future plans.

The party's state committee poll process will be over by October 31 to pave the way for its national leadership elections in November, BJP chief Rajnath Singh said after the meeting.

He said the party's central election committee would take a decision on BJP's choice for its candidate for the October 30 by-election to Vidisha Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh on Friday.

A BJP committee headed by its former chief M Venkaiah Naidu also met for a second day on Wednesday to draw up the party's response to issue of Special Economic Zones.

The committee would hold two more sittings before submitting its report to the party chief on SEZs.