New Delhi, July 05: Coming down heavily on Pakistan, BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu today said that the country had become the epicentre of terrorism and deprecated the "double standards" being adopted by certain countries. Addressing an International Conference of Telugu People organised by the Telugu Association of North America (Tana) at San Jose in California, he said india was capable of fighting terrorism.

"But is ridiculous that Pakistan is on the one hand part of the coalition against terrorism on its western border and simultaneously, by encouraging terrorism in the eastern border, making it an instrument of state policy.

"The biggest to the world is from jehadi fundamentalists. We must join together to fight terrorism wherever it is and in whichever form it is," he said. Naidu said vested interests were carrying out a lot of negative propaganda against India on the issue of secularism.

"Secularism is in the blood of every Indian and it is a part of their ethos. No discrimination has ever been shown towards the minorities and they are more safe and secure in India than any other country in the world. Minorities have reached the highest positions in political, administrative and public life," he said.

Bureau Report