The BJP leader alleged that it was a deliberate attempt on part of the Congress to create the notion of “Muslim terrorism” versus “Hindu terrorism”.

Speaking to mediapersons on Tuesday, Singh accused the UPA government of surrendering before terrorism.

“The government is communalising terrorism for vote bank politics. It should tell the nation what concrete measures it had taken during its four-year term to fight terrorism,” he said.

Taking a strong exception to the use of the term “Hindu terrorism” in the context of the Malegaon blasts, the BJP leader said: “What is even more distressing is that not a single secular party condemned the use of the term Hindu terrorism.”

In a recent conference of ulemas in Azamgarh, Sardar Patel was described as a terrorist but no secular party condemned the incident for the sake of vote bank politics, he said.

Expressing his reservation against the selective leaks of the investigation by Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad, Singh said: “BJP is not against impartial probe, but the Congress should guard against the selective leak of information either by the ATS or the Maharashtra government.”

The BJP will not tolerate the insult inflicted upon Hindu sadhus or Army officers by indiscreet leak of unconfirmed information, he added.

Singh was also critical of the economic policies of the UPA government and said the prevailing recession in India was a result of its “wrong economic policies” and “economic mismanagement”.

“Three economists — Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia — have been such a disaster for the economy,” he said.

He claimed that more and more allies were joining the NDA. “We have already roped in Asom Gana Parishad and Chautala-led Indian National Lok Dal into the NDA fold and hope to include more soon,” he added.

NDA will introduce uniform VAT if it comes to power: Rajnath
The BJP president, Rajnath Singh, promised to enforce uniform Value Added Tax (VAT) across the country, if the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was voted to power at the Centre in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a traders’ rally called “Vyapari Hunkar Rally” on Tuesday, Singh said: “It was most distressing to see that while VAT at a rate of 12 per cent was being levied in UP on different products, the tax rates on same products in neighboring states was 4 percent.”

“During the NDA regime, interest rates were slashed to 9 per cent which are now 15 per cent. If the NDA forms the government, rates will again be reduced to 9 per cent,” he said.