The Hindu : Opposition fear over yatra `a panic reaction', says Advani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 07, 2004

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Opposition fear over yatra `a panic reaction', says Advani

NEW DELHI, MARCH 6. Allaying apprehensions that there could be a communal flare-up during his "Bharat Uday Yatra," the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, said today that he would focus on issues of the ruling National Democratic Alliance.

"There is no bar on my speaking on issues relating to the BJP, but the focus will be on issues on which the NDA would stress," he said in an interview to NDTV 24x7.

The 33-day cross-country election campaign, beginning from March 10, would focus on good governance and "all that we have said in our vision document (that is being drafted)."

Describing the Opposition charges that the yatra could escalate communal tension as "panic reaction", Mr. Advani said: "Communal relations have never been better in the country. The Opposition's response is totally irrational and only exposes a sense of panic that has gripped their ranks ahead of the elections."

On the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi's charge that the yatra was a response to her road shows, he said, "I am happy to note that she thinks that her road shows have so much value. She is entitled to her opinion. I will not join issue with her."

`No divide within'

He said there was no dichotomy in the BJP's campaign between him and the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "I think it is completely unfair that despite the fact that over the last five years, Vajpayeeji and myself have worked together in complete tandem, these questions have still been raised.

"Vajpayeeji is the head of the NDA Government, he is our prime ministerial candidate. Even if I had not undertaken the yatra, I would have still campaigned for the BJP across the country, so why should there be any issue now?"

He also brushed aside suggestions of a divide within the Sangh Parivar. "The VHP cadres are fully involved in our election campaign, so the suggestion that there is some discord or dissonance is absurd."

He said there was no conscious and deliberate attempt to woo Muslims, or a shift in strategy. "The fact is that for several months now, the manner in which Muslim groups have responded to me in large numbers has made me very glad. Just look at the positive meeting we had with the Hurriyat leadership also." Maintaining that the Gujarat riots was an "aberration," Mr. Advani said: "What happened in Gujarat was wrong. It should have never happened whatever be the provocation. But at least we accept that Gujarat was an aberration, but the Congress even today does not see the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as an aberration."

He felt that coalition politics was here to stay. "I think that there is a certain permanence to the phenomenon of regional parties becoming stronger, even while we have emerged as a principal pole of politics."

`BJP not new Congress'

In an interview to Doordarshan, Mr. Advani said the BJP was not emerging as the "new Congress" as the primary difference between the two parties was that the cadre continued to be the "core" of his party.

"The BJP is not emerging as the new Congress. But the reasons for its phenomenal growth and the flocking of a large number of people towards the party are the same that existed in 1947 for the Congress. Still, I will not say that BJP is the new Congress."

He hinted at the possibility of the BJP "not being able to win a complete majority by itself," saying it was "not possible today for one party to rule the country." On the induction of Maneka Gandhi, he said that she had been a Minister in the NDA Government even when she was not in the BJP. "Her joining our party has nothing to do with the `Gandhi' name."

Ayodhya issue

In another interview to the RSS mouthpiece, Panchajanya, he said several contentious issues, including the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, could be resolved if the BJP returned to power.

"There is no doubt that the issue of construction of a Ram temple could be resolved amicably and peacefully only when the BJP comes back to power," he was quoted as saying by Panchajanya in a release.

`Alliance should continue'

Talking to senior journalist Prabhu Chawla on Aaj Tak, Mr. Advani expressed apprehension that the "feel-good" factor could lead to complacency in the BJP.

"The possibility of complacency setting in as a consequence of over-confidence in the party worries me. Which is why I keep telling my partymen to tread cautiously," he said.

VHP not to support yatra

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad today ruled out backing the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani's "Bharat Uday Yatra".

"The Vishwa Hindu Parishad as an organisation is not going to support it (yatra)," the VHP leader, Acharya Giriraj Kishore, told a private channel here. However, if any worker chose to support the yatra, it would be in his individual capacity only.

The statement assumes significance as it comes a day after the BJP agreed to include all issues of concern to the Sangh Parivar, including Ram temple, the Uniform Civil Code, abrogation of Article 370 and ban on cow slaughter, in its Vision 2004 document. - PTI

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