Mayawati supports bill on federal agency against terror

Lucknow, Dec 16 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Tuesday declared her support to the central government's move to form a federal agency for combating terror in the country.

Addressing a press conference here, Mayawati said: 'The BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) would support the bill for setting up the National Investigation Agency that was introduced in the Lok Sabha earlier in the day.'

'I have directed my party MPs to support the legislation,' she said.

In the same vein, however, she expressed her doubts about the determination and political will of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to combat terror.

'The Congress-led UPA government lacks political will and determination to fight terrorism. Therefore, I wonder how much will the new agency be able to bear fruit,' she said.

Flaying successive central governments, she said: 'Neither the earlier BJP-led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) nor the current Congress-led UPA government had displayed true and sincere commitment to curb unabated terrorism in the country.'

She also reacted sharply to a news item appearing in the media about Dalits being prevented to enter temples in Gujarat.

'When Dalits decide to give up their religion and seek conversion into another faith simply because they are prevented from entering temples and participating freely in religious rituals, even then they are harassed and tortured,' said Mayawati.

'I have decided to take up the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, urging him to ensure that this kind of occurrence was not repeated anywhere in the country,' she asserted.

A letter was also sent to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi chastening him for this incident.

Refuting the Congress charge about poor law and order in the state, Mayawati claimed 'criminals were on the run on account of my administration's stern action against them'.

Training her guns at Uttar Pradesh Governor T.V.Rajeshwar, she said: 'This UPA government appointed governor was not taking any action against the Meerut university vice-chancellor, who was himself responsible for leakage of examination question papers at a B.D.S. entrance examination.'