Scrapping POTA was wrong: Advani on Ayodhya

Visiting the site of the terror strike near the makeshift temple in Ayodhya, Bharatiya Janata Party president Lal Kishenchand Advani attacked the United Progressive Alliance government for scrapping Prevention Of Terrorism Act and said it has sent a message that it could compromise on the issue of terrorism.

The terrorist attack has once again brought the issue of Ram Temple back in the "mind of the people", he said.

"It is my charge that by scrapping POTA, the Central government has sent a message that we could compromise on terrorism.  This perception must be removed," he said at a meeting of BJP and Vishwa Hindu Parishad workers at the Karsevakpuram.

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Interestingly, this was Advani's first engagement in a VHP premises after the recent bad blood between the two following his controversial remarks on Jinnah during his Pakistan visit.

Advani, who had led the saffron movement to Ayodhya for construction of the Ram Temple at the dispute site and has sought to present a moderate face of late, visited the outer periphery of the Ram Janambhoomi complex, the scene of Tuesday's attack.

Police officials narrated to him the details of how the attack was foiled.  Party leaders Uma Bharati and Rajnath Singh accompanied him.

He said he had come to Ayodhya to see as to how the militants were able to fulfil their long standing desire of striking at the Ram Janambhoomi complex.