The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : `It is to address nationalism sentiments'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 01, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

`It is to address nationalism sentiments'

Special Correspondent

Advani explains the party's decision to go it alone in Tamil Nadu Assembly elections

High expectations: BJP president L.K. Advani hoisting the party flag at the State headquarters in Chennai on Saturday. — Photo: K. Pichumani

CHENNAI: : The Bharatiya Janata Party's decision to go it alone in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections has been taken not out of any compulsion but to address the sentiments of the people devoted to "nationalism, healthy regional pride and noble influence of religiosity," president L.K. Advani said on Saturday.

Addressing a State convention at Chromepet here, he said, "We are conscious that there is a wide constituency here (in Tamil Nadu), which looks forward to a party representing these elements. It is only the BJP which can fulfil this role," he said.

He said, "There is no Indianism versus Dravidianism, nationalism versus regionalism. There is a synergetic possibility of pan-Indian ambitions combining with regional ambitions. Regional perspective has to reconcile with the Bharatiya perspective."

"Religiosity is an inherent part of Indian culture," Mr Advani said. His party was highlighting the greatness of the country's heritage.

"For this, we are labelled as communal. If Muslims or Christians say they are proud of their religion, it is all right. But, if a Hindu says this, he is called communal. We describe this as pseudo-secularism."

Mr. Advani said the BJP was the only party that mobilised public opinion against the "cruel manner" in which Kanchi Sankaracharya Sri Jayendra Saraswathi was treated in the Sankararaman murder case.

Noting that the two principal parties in the State were pursuing a "politics of vendetta and negativism," he said, "This is something from which Tamil Nadu must be emancipated. If we are given an opportunity, we shall be able to contribute to a positive, democratic, development-oriented and nationalist political culture."

Not against alliances

Mr. Advani said the Central Parliamentary Board cleared the State unit's proposal for contesting independently in the Assembly elections. This did not mean the party was against alliances as a matter of principle. He recalled that the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the BJP's precursor, and the Communists were part of the Bihar Government in 1967.

"We are against political untouchability."

Pointing out that the principal parties of the State shared power with the BJP at the Centre at one point of time or the other in the last seven years, Mr. Advani said it would sound "hollow" for them to raise the "bogey of communalism."

BJP State president C.P. Radhakrishnan said the party took the "historic decision" (of going it alone) to bring about a change.

"We are not against the minorities but are opposed to religious conversions."

BJP vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu, general secretary Pramod Mahajan, national secretaries L. Ganesan and Bandaru Dattatreya and former Union Minister S. Thiruvavukarasar took part in the convention.

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