Nationalism poser to BJP

The Congress has put the BJP on a nationalism test after saffron party workers were arrested by the Madhya Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad over allegations of links with Pakistan’s ISI.

Flashing reports of the arrests of 11 people, including three BJP workers, for running a telephone exchange for the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said the ruling party had earned the dubious distinction of being certified by the Pakistani spy agency.

“The same party that reveled in doling out certificates of nationalism to one and all has been caught sheltering traitors,” Scindia told.

He, however, refrained from demanding the resignation of either Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan or state Home Minister Bhupendra Singh, saying the BJP in the state had to look within and introspect.

The BJP found itself in an awkward situation after two of its office-bearers were arrested by the state police on allegations of running sex rackets.

Scindia accused the Centre of compromising national security by not maintaining a tight vigil, particularly at a time when ISI has been linked to the recent Kanpur train accident.