Wednesday, March 22 2006 16:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Varanasi: Alleging lack of progress in investigations by the Special Task Force into the terror attacks here two weeks ago, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee President Salman Khursheed today(Mar 22,2006) demanded a CBI probe into the temple city twin blasts.

"The ongoing STF probe into the terror attacks on the Sankat Mochan temple and the Cantonment railway station in the city has made no progress thus far which reflected poorly on the state government's commitment to bring to justice the perpetrators of the twin blasts on March seven last," Khursheed told reporters here.

Stating that CBI was the competent and appropriate agency to investigate the terror attacks, Khursheed expressed consternation at the state government's "reluctance" to seek a probe by the central agency.

He also lauded the residents of the holy city for showing exemplary unity and brotherhood in the face of the attack and foiling designs of the perpertrators of the blasts who wanted to vitiate peace and communal harmony by trying to divide the people on communal lines.

Referring to senior BJP leader L K Advani's proposed Rath Yatra to highlight the UPA government's alleged minority appeasement policies which the saffron party claim to be responsible for the spate of terror attacks across the country, Khursheed said the issues of minority appeasement and terrrorsim should be seen independent of eath other.

People were capable of reading into political and electoral designs of the saffron party vis-a-vis the rath yatra, the Congress leader said.