New Delhi, Feb 24 (NationPress) BJP National Spokesperson Rohan Gupta took a strong stance against Congress MP Imran Masood and Abu Azmi, the chief of the Maharashtra Samajwadi Party, for their recent comments advocating for the protection of 'innocent people' amidst arrests connected to a purported terror conspiracy.

Gupta emphasized that appeasement politics cannot overshadow the pursuit of justice for the innocent lives lost in terror incidents.

In his earlier remarks, Azmi supported Masood’s assertion that it is crucial to prevent the wrongful detention of 'innocent people' during anti-terror operations. These comments surfaced after law enforcement initiated a crackdown on an alleged terror scheme involving eight suspects with links to Pakistan’s ISI and radical groups based in Bangladesh.

Azmi, showing solidarity with Masood, claimed that the Muslim community is being 'unfairly targeted' in India, echoing Masood’s caution about proceeding against those accused in terror-related matters.

“I'm uncertain about who has been detained. Individuals can spend decades in prison only to be exonerated later. While strict measures against terrorism are essential, we must ensure that innocent individuals are not wrongfully arrested. We must protect those who might be misidentified,” Masood conveyed to IANS.

These statements ignited political discourse following the arrest of eight individuals across Tamil Nadu and West Bengal for allegedly plotting a significant terror act under the guidance of ISI and radical entities from Bangladesh.

In response to the unfolding situation, Gupta articulated to IANS, “Terrorism transcends religious boundaries. Associating religion with terrorism merely serves appeasement politics. Previously, we've witnessed opposition leaders refer to terrorists as 'misguided youth'. For instance, during the Delhi bomb blasts, narratives similar to these were propagated while innocent lives were lost.”

He further challenged the basis of claims regarding wrongful detentions. “They must provide proof of who was falsely accused. We cannot extend forgiveness to terrorists. A terrorist is a terrorist. Is appeasement politics more significant than the innocent lives lost? Absolutely not. In this new India, terrorists will face severe consequences,” he stated.

Gupta reiterated that actions taken against terror should remain free from political agendas. “Since terrorism knows no religion, all measures against terrorists must be universally accepted. We must avoid politicizing this issue,” he added.

On Saturday, security forces raised alarms about a potential explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort following intelligence reports indicating that the Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based militant group, had compiled a list of high-profile targets in India.

Sources revealed that a coordinated security operation was launched based on specific intelligence regarding a suspected terror module planning operations across various regions of the country.

During these operations, police confiscated numerous mobile devices and SIM cards from the suspects, which are currently under investigation to assess the breadth and influence of their network.

This series of events unfolds in the wake of a car explosion near the Red Fort on November 10, which resulted in the deaths of 13 individuals and injuries to over 20 others.