The Hindu : National : BJP under Advani looking for more controversial issues: Lalu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 25, 2004

National

National

BJP under Advani looking for more controversial issues: Lalu

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad with Delhi Chief Minister Shella Dikshit as the inauguration of an exhibition of cartoons by Irfaan in New Delhi on Sunday. - PTI.

NEW DELHI, OCT. 24 . The Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad, today termed the failure of the Bharatiya Janata Party at the ballot as "divine justice" for allegedly inciting communal violence and said that under the leadership of L.K. Advani it was looking for an even more controversial issue than Babri Masjid to garner votes.

"If you hurt somebody, inflict pain or cause insult, uparwala (God) sees it and in his `cabinet meeting,' justice is always done.

``After the violence they incited in the name of Ram, these fundamentalists have been uprooted," Mr. Prasad said in an apparent reference to the BJP's defeat in the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections.

Attacks Advani

Unveiling a cartoon exhibition of Irfaan titled "Godhra Express," he hit out at Mr. Advani saying, "I am not afraid of taking his name. I will not desist from telling the truth. Under the leadership of L.K. Advani, these fundamentalists are looking for an even more controversial issue than Babri Masjid to come back to power."

He said the "fascist forces" had nothing to do with religion and were missing in the recently-concluded Durga Puja and Ram Lila festivities.

"The last ten days I was in Patna celebrating Durga Puja. And you must have seen on TV that in Delhi, it was Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who applied tilak on Lord Ram and Laxman during the Ramlila celebration.

Barring may be Rajasthan Governor Madan Lal Khurana, none of the BJP leaders was seen taking part in the festivities," Mr. Prasad said.

Noting the topic of the cartoon exhibition, the Godhra incident, Mr. Prasad said: "I will not make any comment as the matter is sub judice. All I will say is that the truth will prevail. Till now, people were given a one-sided view of what had happened." — PTI

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

National