The BJP on Saturday alleged that the Samajwadi Party had links with the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts and also accused it of protecting terrorists. BJP leader Anurag Thakur made the allegation on the eve of the third phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in which 59 seats go to polls on Sunday.
Addressing a press meet in Delhi, Thakur said one of the masterminds of the blasts is the son of a Samajwadi Party leader.
"I would like to tell you that Ahmedabad's serial blast is linked to the Samajwadi Party and the 49 people who have been convicted, one of the masterminds is Mohammed Saif, the son of Shahbaad Ahmed who is a Samajwadi Party leader. Who is this Samajwadi Party leader? Why is Akhilesh Ji quiet on this?" Thakur said.
Accusing the Samajwadi Party of doing appeasement politics, the BJP leader said goons and terrorists had become stronger during the SP regime.
“They do not trust the police or ATS, but they give full support in protecting the terrorists. I would say Aatankiyon se karein Pyaar, Jinnah ke kaseede gaaye hazaar, UP police pe karein waar, Samajwadi hai Tushtikaran ki yaar,” he said.
Thakur further claimed that in the last five years, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had worked to eliminate goons and mafias in Uttar Pradesh.
He accused the SP of protecting terrorists and said: “In 2012, in Samajwadi Party's manifesto before the UP election, it was written that they will roll back the terrorism charges levelled against the Muslim youths. At that time, Samajwadi Party was the first national political party that promised in a manifesto that terror charges on the Muslim youths would be withdrawn”.
A special court on Friday sentenced 38 people to death in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case. The court sentenced 38 of the 49 convicts to death under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. The 11 others were sentenced to life in jail till death.
Judge A.R. Patel also awarded compensation of Rs one lakh each to those killed in the blasts, and Rs 50,000 for each victim with serious injuries and Rs 25,000 each for those with minor ones. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2.85 lakh each on the 48 convicts.
As many as 56 of people were killed in the blasts that rocked Gujarat's capital on July 26, 2008.
