Vinay Katiyar accuses Congress of being a militant sympathizer

Lucknow/ Varanasi, Feb 10 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vinay Katiyar on Friday claimed that the Congress was often seen to be crying when militants were killed or arrested.

While speaking to reporters in Lucknow, Katiyar said: "The Congress is the only party that has given shelter to militants. Whenever a militant is killed or arrested the Congress party cries foul over it. It is very surprising that chairperson of the UPA (United Progress Alliance) and chief of the Congress party was in tears after she saw the photographs. What else could be more unfortunate?"

Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid had recently raked up the controversial Batla House encounter while on the campaign trail in Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh and had said Sonia Gandhi was in tears when she saw photographs of the incident.

The September 19, 2008 encounter led to the killing of Delhi Police Inspector Mohan Chandra Sharma and two Indian Mujahideen militants - Atif Ameen and Mohammed Sajid - while two other militants were arrested and another fled from the Batla House locality.

Katiyar also attacked Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and sought his resignation on the matter.

"Now, Manmohan Singh must resign on moral grounds because his minister has made such a remark, his party official has also said so and his party chief has expressed her emotions on the matter. He himself has said that he couldn't sleep the whole night when a boy from Bangalore was arrested on militancy charges. The entire party supports militants," added Katiyar. (ANI)