'SIMI not part of UP terror attacks'

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Lucknow: Ruling out the involvement of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) in recent terrorist attacks in the state, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh on Wednesday alleged that the BJP was responsible for the advent of the menace in the country.

SIMI's role has not been detected in blasts in Varanasi and the Shramjevi Express and in the Ayodhya terrorist attacks, Mulayam said at a discussion in the legislative assembly on the notice by BJP, Congress and BSP.

In his 45-minute reply, Mulayam rubbished the opposition's charge that the governemnt was adopting a "soft attitude" towards terrorists and reiterated that it was committed to deal with them with an "iron hand".

Terming the BJP as the "mother of terrorism," the Chief Minister said there was no terrorism in the country before the demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya and held the saffron party responsible for its advent.

The Samajwadi Party has always advocated a tough line against terrorists and it had even once suggested that terrorist training camps being run across the border should be attacked but the then NDA government adopted a soft postrure.

Mulayam said intelligence agencies had told him that he was one of the targets of the terrorists.

Taking part in the discussion, Transport Minister Naresh Agarwal also defended the SIMI and alleged that it was the media which had branded the organisation a terrorist outfit.

Earlier, BJP members staged a walk out from the House after senior party leader Kesri Nath Tripathi said he was not being given sufficient time to air his views.