Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Monday called for tough and forceful action, which is both punitive and deterrent, against terrorists.

Addressing the international youth conference on terrorism organised by the BJP's youth wing, he pointed out that even while demanding restraint and fairness from the country's security agencies, "we should recognise that extraordinary circumstances call for effective responses."

He said that terrorism was being packaged as a jihad (holy war) to make it more acceptable among the masses.

"Jihadi terrorism has become the principal form of terrorism in the world, but not because Islam justifies terrorism. No religion preaches hatred or sanctions killings of innocent human beings," the prime minister said.

Calling youth organisations to create proper awareness about these imperatives, Vajpayee pointed to the double standards on the matter of terrorism.

"In some cases, we are told that violent acts of terror is not terrorism but a freedom struggle. This is how our neighbour has been trying to justify its policy of cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir," the prime minister said.

"(Al Qaeda chief) Osama bin Laden's associates are freedom fighters when they act in one country and terrorists when they act elsewhere. Terrorist groups have been given shelter and support using this dubious logic," Vajpayee said in an apparent dig at the US.

"This is counter-productive because it will boomerang on all of us," the prime minister warned.

He said while the fight against international terrorism was principally the responsibility of governments, youth organisations could play a vital supportive role.

"It is well known that extremist and fundamentalist groups draw their sustenance and attract recruits from among the youth. It is necessary to foil such efforts," he said.

The prime minister warned that no organisation, irrespective of its claims to espouse any cause 'can be allowed to inflame passions, spread hatred and incite violence'.

BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu said, "India is the worst victim of terrorism and there should be no soft-pedaling on the issue by any section of the population."

Unless people's mindset regarding terrorism changed, there would be trouble, he said.