We will enact tough law on pattern of POTA: Rajnath Singh

Not satisfied with amendments made in the law to deal with terrorism, BJP has said that if voted to power, it will enact a tough law on the pattern of erstwhile POTA and have a comprehensive action plan to tackle the scourge.

BJP President Rajnath Singh said that along with the laws, there is a need for "strong will" to deal with terrorism and only a government headed by L K Advani can have it.

Singh told PTI in an interview that the UPA government has been "soft" in dealing with terrorism and that the amendments to the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) are not enough to tackle the scourge.

"It is a soft and insufficient law," he said on the UAPA which was amended in the aftermath of Mumbai attacks.

Seeking to justify his point, the BJP chief said because of the inadequacy of the amended law, Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist captured during Mumbai attacks, had to be booked under MCOCA.

Asked how BJP would deal with terrorism if voted to power, Singh said it will enact a tough law and have a comprehensive action plan to tackle the menace.

"The law will be tough. It may be on the lines of POTA or even tougher," he said, adding it is the need of the hour.

Underlining that tough laws will be of no use till the government has a "strong will" to deal with terrorism, the BJP chief said "only Advaniji (NDA's Prime Ministerial candidate) can give a government having strong will."

When referred to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's contention that terror attacks, including one on Parliament, took place when Advani was the Home Minister, Rajnath Singh hit back by saying that terrorism had started during Congress rule and insisted that the NDA government had taken steps to end the scourge.

"I do not deny that terror attacks took place during NDA rule but we dealt with the problem with a strong will. We enacted strong laws like POTA," he said.

"We accepted terrorism as a challenge and dealt with it accordingly," Singh said.

Contending that the UPA government does not have the will to fight terrorism, the BJP president, in this regard, referred to the repeal of POTA by it.

Attacking the Congress, he said terrorism had taken "birth and spread" during the Congress rule.

He also accused Congress of indulging in "appeasement" while dealing with terrorism and claimed BJP, on other hand, does not differentiate.