No need to revive POTA, says Prime Minister

ENGAGING PAKISTAN: Prime Minister announces India will speak to Pakistan about terrorism.

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday rejected the BJP’s demand that the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) be revived after the blasts in Jaipur.

"What has POTA achieved—there is no dearth of law in the country to deal with terrorism,” said Singh. The terrorist attacks on Parliament and Akshardham temple in Ahmedabad occurred when POTA was in operation, he said.

India would raise the issue of terrorism with Pakistan at the forthcoming meeting of Foreign Ministers. "All issues which have a bearing on our relations will come up at the meeting," Singh said in reply to questions on who was behind the blasts.

The BJP has alleged that the UPA Government’s "soft, weak and apathetic" policies had encouraged terrorism. "The UPA Government, which will shortly complete four years in office, has such a dismal record in discharging this responsibility that it instills no confidence whatsoever," said party leader L K Advani.

The UPA Government has "failed" to investigate and punish the guilty in any of the terror attacks that have taken place in the last four years.

This failure "is mainly due to the soft, weak and apathetic approach of a government that is unwilling to summon the requisite political will to mount a comprehensive attack on terrorism for fear of losing its vote-bank.”

The "role and responsibility" of the Central Government in dealing with terrorism is much more than that of any state government, said Advani.

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