'BJP influencing NIA probe, encouraging terrorism'

Kolkata: State Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim on Monday alleged that BJP is encouraging terrorism in the country by influencing the investigation of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). His remark came in the wake of the NIA special court granting Sadhvi Pragya bail in connection with the Malegaon blast case in 2011.

The NIA, probing the Malegaon blast, had watered down the case against Sadhvi Pragya and others by dropping the charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) and granted her bail. Sadhvi Pragya has been nominated by the saffron party in the Bhopal seat for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

"If terrorist outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammad are banned, then why should the BJP not be banned for influencing the NIA in the blast case," Hakim questioned.

The minister's outburst came when he was asked to comment about the allegations of BJP national president Amit Shah earlier in the day when he said that the Opposition allies are keeping mum on the terrorism issue. "We hate terrorism and do not indulge in publicity over the exploits of the jawans. Is it a publicity stunt on the part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow the attack at Pulwama in which 42 jawans were killed. There were intelligence inputs but they were totally ignored," he added.