The Hindu : Other States / Rajasthan News : Advani Yatra skipping toll tax: Congress

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 07, 2004

Other States

Other States - Rajasthan

Advani Yatra skipping toll tax: Congress

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, APRIL 6. The Congress has charged that the "Bharat Uday Yatra'' led by the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K.Advani, had not been paying the toll tax for using the country's national highways. Avoiding payment at the toll collection points on various occasions ever since the journey began from Kanyakumari was gross misuse of power and violation of the model code of conduct for elections, the party said.

"So far nothing has been paid to the National Highways Authority of India for the use of the highways. It is not Mr.Advani's bus alone. Every time there had been a motorcade of dozens of vehicles when he crossed the toll gates,'' Mohan Prakash, the Congress spokesperson for Gujarat and Rajasthan said here.

"In the past when Mr. Advani used the roads made by the successive Congress Governments for his `rath yatra' there were no charges. This time when he used the highways which he glorified as the creation of the National Democratic Alliance Government's there were charges involved which he did not pay,'' Mr.Prakash said.

"In the past the only places one needed to pay for use of highways were at the bridges. Now for the same roads, broadened by the NDA, seek payment for use," Mr.Prakash pointed out.

The Congress spokesperson also accused the NDA Government of entering into a clandestine pact with the Musharraf regime in Pakistan in the past. "The forces were deployed on the country's border and later were withdrawn without giving any reason to suit the Musharraf Government in Pakistan during the elections there. As soon as the elections were over the forces also were called back,'' Mr.Prakash alleged.

"Now it was the turn of Pakistan to help the Vajpayee Government by inviting the Indian cricket team to play in Pakistan,'' he pointed out.

"The Congress always believed in maintaining good relations with Pakistan. It was the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Jan Sangh which opposed normalizing India's relations with Pakistan,'' he charged. "There is no consistency in BJP's Kashmir policy. There is also no continuity in its Kashmir policy and the policy towards Pakistan,'' he charged.

Another area where the NDA was making dangerous liaisons was in the North East where the BJP and its allies had been befriending terrorist organizations and rebel groups for electoral gains. Mr.Prakash cited the instance of Nagaland in this connection.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

News Update

Stories in this Section

Advani Yatra skipping toll tax: Congress

A fresh look at woes of textile printing units