Ratlam: BJP today asserted it did not want to interfere with investigations into the Malegaon blast but said Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) should not "harass" saints and army personnel.

"We do not want to interfere with the probe into the Melagaon blast but the ATS should not harass the saints and Army personnel," BJP President Rajnath Singh told reporters here.

"We do not want to give shelter to anyone and take sides in the Malegaon blast case." "The communalisation of terrorism was most unfortunate," Singh added. Singh said the ATS, which has so far arrested ten persons in the September 29 blast that had killed six people, has not got any substantial evidence but was harassing the saints who all were respected.

Sadhvi Prajya Singh Thakur, Lt Col P S Purohit and religious leader Dayanand Pandey are among those arrested. He said ATS has failed to submit charge-sheet because of lack of evidence but was "defaming" the Hindu saints.

To a question, the BJP President said the ATS probe will linger on till the Lok Sabha elections with an eye to benefit the UPA Government in the polls. He criticised the ATS for speaking to the media over the blast.

Singh said the Congress-led coalition at the Centre had failed to convene an all-party meeting to evolve consensus to deal with the scourge of terrorism.

Source : PTI