It's become fashionable to sympathise with terrorists: Naidu

Hitting out at the opposition, Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said people should avoid doing 'cheap politics' over the killing of SIMI activists in Bhopal.

"I am unable to make out why some people are so concerned about terrorists. Perhaps, it has become a fashion for them," the Minister for Information & Broadcasting said at an International Film Festival of India (IFFI) press conference here.

Police on Monday gunned down eight undertrial activists of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) in an alleged gun battle, hours after they escaped from a high-security jail in Bhopal.

"I can't understand why some people are more concerned about terrorists. Some people are concerned about SIMI. Some people are concerned about people who have escaped from jail, and those who break the law," said Naidu.

"These people are more concerned about them rather than showing concern about the safety and security of Indians and India as a nation," he added.

Naidu also slammed those who gave a communal colour to the whole incident and called it 'cheap politics'.

"Today, I saw some people giving 'communal colour' too. What is communal? Four-five days back on Andhra Pradesh and Odisha border around 28-29 Maoists were killed. But nobody counted about their community. Nobody talked about their religion," said Naidu.

"This is all cheap politics. I appeal to all to avoid politics and take care of the safety and security of the nation," he added.

--IANS

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