Advani appeals to Muslims for Ram temple

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LK appeals to Muslims for Ram temple

 

"The launch of the 6,000 km long `Bharat Suraksha Yatra` on Ram

Navami day in the presence of Hindutva poster boy and Gujarat Chief

Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Ministers of other party-ruled states

and senior BJP leaders was replete with ideological symbols

including portraits of Lord Ram and a hooded terrorist in the

background, Advani aiming an arrow from a large bow, blowing of

conch shells and chanting of Vedic hymns."

 

Rajkot (Gujarat), Apr 06: Sixteen years after his landmark `Ram

Rath` Yatra which changed the contours of Indian politics, senior

BJP leader L K Advani today embarked on his sixth Yatra invoking

Lord Ram and appealing to Muslims to abandon their claim over the

disputed site in Ayodhya.

 

Rajnath attacks Cong for "vote bank" politics

 

The launch of the 6,000 km long `Bharat Suraksha Yatra` on Ram

Navami day in the presence of Hindutva poster boy and Gujarat Chief

Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Ministers of other party-ruled states

and senior BJP leaders was replete with ideological symbols

including portraits of Lord Ram and a hooded terrorist in the

background, Advani aiming an arrow from a large bow, blowing of

conch shells and chanting of Vedic hymns.

 

But the post-Jinnah Advani, who has expressed a keenness to change

the party`s hardliner anti-minorities image, was far from

aggressive. Even the BJP`s historic 1989 Palampur resolution

endorsing the Ram Janambhoomi movement was not anti-Muslim, he

asserted before the gathering which included Muslims donning skull

caps both on the dais and the audience.

 

He also expressed concern over "Congressisation" of BJP and

factionalism and corruption in the party and counselled the partymen

to "tread carefully.

 

Making a fervent appeal to the Muslims to respect Hindu sentiments

and facilitate the construction of a grand Ram temple at the

disputed site, Advani said the "minority appeasement" policies of

successive Congress Governments, which began from the Shah Bano

case, has only boosted the party`s strength but was "neither in the

interests of the Muslims or the country". If both the communities

come together for the construction of the Ram temple, it would bring

about an unprecedented harmony and goodwill in the society, the

former Deputy Prime Minister said.

 

Interestingly, undertaking his first major political campaign after

his controversial Pakistan visit last year, the veteran BJP leader

sought to avoid any criticism of the neighbouring country on the

issue of terrorism but focused on eastern neighbour Bangladesh over

the arrest of its alleged nationals in the Varanasi bomb blast case.

 

Charging the Congress party and its Left parties with indulging

in "competitive secularism" as reflected in the unanimous resolution

passed by the Kerala Assembly demanding release of a key accused in

the Coimbatore blasts, the Leader of Opposition said they

were "trying to perpetuate the dominance of one party and its

interests".

 

Wheat imports and the Indo-US nuclear deal were other issues on

which Advani sought to corner the UPA Government.

 

The BJP leader, while hailing Chief Minister Narendra Modi for

his "corruption-free" governance, however, counselled him not to

becomes "complacent". "Don`t be satisfied. The ground is very

slippery. One has to walk cautiously", he said.

 

Advani traced the history of terrorism to Mahmood Ghazni`s invasion

of the Somnath temple but made it clear that "terrorism had nothing

to do with Islam" even as he demanded both short-term and long-tern

strategy to deal with the menace.

 

Also present on the occasion were Leader of Opposition in Rajya

Sabha Jaswant Singh, party General Secretary Incharge of Gujarat Om

Mathur, party General Secretary Incharge of the Yatra Ananth Kumar

and several state Ministers, MPs and party leaders.

 

While Singh in his address attacked the Government on the Volcker

and Quattrocchi issue, Modi, known for his `Mian Musharraf`

speeches, targeted Islamabad for the terrorist incidents in the

country and declared that in Gujarat either he or the `merchants of

death` would survive.

 

Launching a broadside against his critics, Modi charged them

with "double standards" vis-a-vis Godhra accused and best bakery

witness Zahira Sheikh. He also slammed anti-dam activist Medha

Patkar as "anti-development" and asserted that the Sardar Sarovar

Project would provide water to millions of farmers in the state. He

also dared her to prove shortcomings in the rehabilitation of

project-affected persons.

 

The alleged attempt to "save" the accused in the Godhra case through

the POTA Review Committee and the UC Banerjee Committee report on

the Godhra train fire too came under his attack. Advani`s Yatra

would also be visiting Godhra tomorrow.

 

Later, amidst unprecedented security, Advani`s Swaraj Mazda-turned

`Rath` rolled out on the streets of Rajkot enroute to Ahmedabad,

where he would be addressing another public meeting. Party workers

organized way side reception at many points even as the juggernaut

attracted many curious onlookers, keen to have a glimpse of the BJP

leaders.

 

Advani, flanked by Modi, state BJP chief Vajubhai Vala and Ananth

Kumar waved at the onlookers as the long cavalcade made its way

through interior parts of the state.

 

Besides his landmark Somnath-Ayodhya `ram Rath Yatra`, the BJP

stalwart had undertaken four other Yatras in the past including the

`Ekta Yatra`, the `Janadesh Yatra`, the Swarna Jayanti Yatra` and

the `Bharat Uday Yatra` in 2004.

 

Advani, who had in a television interview yesterday said he

was "hurt" by the corruption and factionalism in the party, today

lamented the "Congress-isation of BJP" and conceded that the

opposition party was getting influenced by the ruling party.

 

"I have never seen any factionalism or indiscipline when we began

our journey as Bharatiya Jan Sangh over five decades back but now I

can see the Congress-isation of the party. This is because the party

expanded rapidly. We will have to tread cautiously", he said.

 

Sitting on the dais along with him were known Gujarat dissident

leaders Keshubhai Patel and Rajendra Singh Rana. The gruelling

journey spread over 35 days would see the 78-year old saffron

warhorse traversing across 10 states with occasional breaks to

campaign in the five poll-bound states.

 

The Yatra, aimed at educating the people about the minority

appeasement policies of the Congress-led UPA government and its

alleged failures on all fronts, would conclude on may 10 with a

rally in Delhi.

 

BJP president Rajnath Singh too is undertaking a simultaneous Yatra

from Bhubaneshwar.

 

Advani`s new found moderate image was also evident from his visit to

Porbandar, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, to pay homage to the

apostle of peace and father of the nation hours before commencing

the Yatra. He along with family members had last night visited the

Dwarakadheesh temple and the Shankaracharya Peetha.

 

Also present on the dais at the Chaudhury High School grounds was

close aide Sudheendra Kulkarni, widely held responsible for Advani`s

remarks on Jinnah and who had to resign after his scathing attack on

RSS and VHP last year.

 

However, the moderate crowd did not appear very enthusiastic and the

sole cheers were reserved for state Chief Minister Narendra Modi. In

fact, many people were seen leaving the venue as Advani began his 30-

minute long address.

 

While the organizers were at pains to attribute the lack lustre

participation to a strike call by traders against value added tax,

the Ram Navami festival and the scorching summer sun, it was widely

known that the VHP, which is very influential in the state, had

boycotted it and other saffron cadres too remained inactive in the

absence of any directive from Nagpur.

 

The Yatra, which courted controversy even before its inception on

issues ranging from the timing to the differences within the party,

was also overshadowed by anonymous posters across the city hailing

Sanjay Joshi, who was reportedly taken back into the party on Monday

reportedly against Advani`s wishes and on the diktat of the Sangh

founthead.

 

In consonance with the theme of the Yatra, the senior BJP leader

honoured the widow of a soldier who died fighting militants in Doda

district of Jammu and Kashmir.

 

Advani said Mahmud of Gazni had attacked the Somnath temple in 1008

and since then India had been facing foreign invasions.

 

He alleged the UPA government has "no proper vision" for the

nation`s security and created serious problems which could affect

the country`s unity and integrity.

 

"Awareness among people is necessary for our security and without

security we cannot not develop", he said.

 

The object of his march is to bring "revolution" in the country`s

politics, Advani said, adding the Yatra would conclude in New Delhi

on May 10, which is India`s 150th anniversary of battle of

independence.

 

Bureau Report

http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=286566&sid=NAT