Following the arrest of Dr. Umar Muhammad as the prime suspect in the November 10 Delhi car blast and the detention of several doctors linked to the case, BJP national spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Friday warned of a worrying new trend in India’s security landscape.

Speaking to IANS, Naqvi stated, “I am compelled to say with great regret that a new phase of ‘intellectual terrorism’ has begun. This new wave of educated explosives that has started is not in the interest of the country. People must unite to stop this. Any country that promotes or protects such elements cannot claim to be a well-wisher of humanity or Islam. These terrorists who claim to speak for ‘Islamabad’ are actually enemies of its existence, and of Islam and humanity.”

Naqvi also addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Kerala ahead of the upcoming Local Self-Government Institutions (LSGI) elections. He criticised attempts to postpone the process, calling such moves counterproductive.

“A criminal reaction to a constitutional process is not in the country’s interest. Some people complain even before the exam that the paper is out of the course. SIR is a continuous process meant to clean electoral rolls. It is not right to create confusion on every issue,” he said, taking a dig at opposition leaders.

The Kerala government has approached the Supreme Court seeking a postponement of the SIR exercise after the Kerala High Court refused its writ petition last week. Meanwhile, the Kerala State Election Commission has announced that elections to the LSGIs will be conducted on December 9 and December 11, as scheduled.