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At the final meeting of the programme attended by nearly 30,000 students from around Bangalore, BJP leader and Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani said security of the common man had become a bigger source of concern than price rise or unemployment. He said India needed to adopt a zero-tolerance policy to terrorism like US and Israel.
He questioned the delay in the death sentence for Parliament attack accused Afzal Guru. "His name happens to be Afzal Guru. Had he been some Anand Singh or Anand Mohan he would have been hanged," Advani said.
On the sidelines of the event, Advani however condemned the attack on women at a Mangalore pub, saying, "It's basically against Indian culture and ethos."
The initial enthusiasm of students who gathered for the event began flagging as leader after leader gave long speeches on countering terrorism.
"I came to learn how to help fight terrorism and got to hear political speeches. The most motivating talk was given by Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan's father," a college student said as she left the venue with friends.
The father of the NSG commando who died battling terrorists during the 26/11 attack said his son had willingly taken on death. "He told his mother he would lead from the front if an occasion arose," Unnikrishnan said.
He extolled students to be fearless and to consider careers in the defence forces.
The event organised under the leadership of state Higher Education Minister Arvind Limbavalli has been criticized by the Congress and the NSUI. The Opposition has accused the BJP government of packing campaign committees for the programme with student leaders linked to the Sangh Parivar. There has also been criticism of the programme assuming a communal tenor instead of addressing terrorism as a universal problem.
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One of the selected students views have been reproduced here just to bilittle the whole effort.I have heard the views of dozens who appeared on the Kannada TV channel and more than 80% where upbeat about the whole excercise.Just how this program is communal is beyond me.Congress and other pseudos in Karnataka are tight lipped about this program because it addresses a grave cause that is ripping this nation apart.The huge turnout of masses(nearly 1.5lakhs) is pricking their conscience.They are in a catch 22 situation of not being able to condemn this program for its objective nor are they able to potray this as a minority bashing show. SOme pro UPA channels were showing the food garbage thrown around by this bash and blaming the organisers for wasting food.The seething anger in the pseudos was evident as they were not able to pass off anti terror measures as being anti minority after such a big turnout.
In my frank opinion the BJP's programme of creating " ANTi-TERRORISM " at all levels is very necessay as we are facing terrorist and traitor acts at frequent intervals destroying country and its innocent people. Students who are future citizens and young are the best people. I really wonder why Congress wants to oppose and create problems. In fact Congress by its soft approach to terrorism terrorism and terrorists are entertained. THIS PRACTICE OF ENCOURAGING TERRORISM MUST END. COMMENTS / SUGGESTIONS ARE INVITED FROM READERS WHICH WILL BE APPRECIATED.B S GANESH BANGALORE
For a party whose Foreign Minister escorted terrorists to freedom, talking about terrorism should have been shameful. More shameful is the fact that the then Home Minister advani did not know that terrorists were being released Or he claims not to have known. If so then he was weaker than Shivraj Patil whom he criticized so much.
Ramdas Please clearly spell out what was the alternative - allow the slaughter of 179 passengers and crew ? The hijackers had stopped negotiating and already slaughtered Ripan Katyal so what was the alternative ? Please consult Kapil Sibal AND GIVE US A CLEAR AND COGENT ANSWER. We are not impressed with a "we should have negotiated" crap. Do we risk the lives of 179 passengers ???
The point is if this incident had happened during the UPA regime, the BJP would have made a big issue about it and exhalted as to how the Union Government bended before the terrorists. But now since the boot is on the other leg they are craving for reasons to justify their submission
The decision to release the terrorists was taken at an all party meeting.The 'respected'Brind Karat herself was at the head of all agitations to release the terrorists.The same parties are now blaming the BJP.Escorting was done to make sure that all the work does not come to a naught. Had the terrorists been killed in a crash,the whole world would say that it was deliberate.The terrorists as well as the hostages would have been lost.As far as advani not knowing about this release is a pure fabrication.I think you are mistaken about his not knowing about the intruders in Kargil.