Friday, March 10 2006 20:00 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The opposition BJP today (Mar 10 2006) charged the Congress with making efforts to revive militancy in Punjab and asked the Centre to ensure that peace in the state was not vitiated.

"Terrorism in Punjab is again rearing its head and Congress is making every effort to revive it with the polls to the state Assembly on the horizon. The Congress has always pursued the policy of dividing Hindus and Sikhs," BJP parliamentary party spokesman V K Malhotra told sources here.

Maintaining that both Pakistan and pro-Khalistani elements were active in the bid to revive militancy, he alleged that the separatist elements took a lead in welcoming the state Chief Minister both in Canada and Pakistan.

Referring to the recent arrest of separatist leader Jagjit Singh Chohan, he charged the Congress government in the state with first "raising a bogey and then making arrests."

"We warn the Centre that peace should not be vitiated for the sake of vote bank politics. The Centre should firmly deal with such activities," Malhotra said.