Revive POTA against terror: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday asked the Centre to revive POTA laws and create an exclusive investigating agency to check acts of terrorism in the backdrop of Friday's ghastly bomb explosion at a mosque in Hyderabad.

"Acts like POTA are a must to put an end to terrorism," senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu told reporters on the sidelines of a function here, reiterating the party's demand for re-introduction of the act which was scrapped by the UPA government.

Condemning the explosion as a "mindless act perpertrated by terorists, which itself is a sacrilege of religion", Naidu demanded "special laws, special courts and special agencies" to deal with such terrorist acts.

He charged that the UPA government lacked political will to curb terrorism. Answering another query on transfer of power to BJP by the JDS in Karnataka, Naidu said, "I am confident it will be smooth and JDS will stand by its commitment."

He also expressed hope of BJP winning the Ullal assembly bypoll. On being asked whether JDS supremo H D Devegowda is adopting "blackmailing" tactics towards BJP, Naidu said, "Nobody can blackmail BJP. We have no problem with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy."