Bringing out the clear divide along political lines and raising doubts about the futility of such an exercise, terrorism? the favourite of the NDA?jostled hard with violence against minorities? raised by the UPA ?to grab central focus at the National Integration Council (NIC) meeting here on Monday.
Leaders belonging to both political formations sought to use the NIC platform?held after a gap of three years?to criticise each other and score political brownie points. In a veiled attack on the saffron forces, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the ??most disturbing and dangerous?? aspect at present was the ??assault on the country?s composite culture??. Recent tragic events in Orissa, Karnataka and Assam have pained all right thinking persons. There are clashes between Hindus, Christians, Muslims and Tribal groups. An atmosphere of hatred and violence is being artificially generated. ??There are forces deliberately encouraging such tendencies and also spawning militant outfits who engage in irrational violence. These need to be firmly dealt with. There is, at the same time, need for better understanding of the forces at work,?? he said .
NDA leaders, however, begged to differ, contending that terrorism was a graver threat. ??These forces need to be tackled with a strong and united political will or else the nation would pay a heavy price?? Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi told the meeting, even as he accused the Centre of playing vote-bank politics by excluding terrorism from the NIC?s agenda earlier. It was included at the last minute after the NDA representatives sought to make an issue of it. The NDA leaders also made their familiar refrain for a POTA type law to tackle terrorism.
A spat between home minister Shivraj Patil and Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik was also witnessed in the NIC meet, who virtually fought with each other over central assistance to the state.