BJP furious after Shivraj Patil equates Sarabjit, Afzal

PATIL THE PREY: Patil's remarks are being used by BJP to underline apparent ineptness in handling terror.

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Keywords: BJP, Sarabjit Singh

New Delhi: The fate of two men have become linked inextricably — Sarabjit Singh who is languishing in a Pakistan jail and Afzal Guru, who was arrested for the attack of India's Parliament.

Sarabjit Singh's clemency petition can lose its strength if Afzal Guru is hanged — at least, that is what the Government is suggesting.

Home Minister, Shivraj Patil said on Wednesday, "In Pakistan, we say don't hang Sarabjit and here we say hang Afzal?"

The Home Minister may have fallen back on this logic to drill holes in the Opposition argument that he wasn't doing enough to fight terror, but, in effect, he is trying to suggest that the justice delivery system in two neighbouring countries have not just domestic but external compulsions.

The BJP has pounced upon this statement to put the Government in the dock.

BJP Spokesperson, Prakash Javadekar said"There is no link between them. Sarabjit's is a case of mistaken identity, whereas Afzal Guru is a terrorist."

And Shivraj Patil unwittingly handed over more ammunition to a poll-ready Opposition. He also said that POTA wasn't necessary.

"If the law has the necessary modules to fight terrorism, why do we need POTA?" he asked on Wednesday evening.

He also stated that specific intelligence inputs on possible terror attacks must come from the state. "It's the duty of the state government to look into these matters," Patil stated.

The Home Minister has been in the Opposition list of sitting-duck targets for a political attack for some time now and each of his statements will be used by the BJP to underline his apparent ineptness in handling terror.