NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday described the `yatras' to be simultaneously launched by its president Rajnath Singh and Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani on April 6 as "political pilgrimages."

Senior leader and chief coordinator of the `yatras' M. Venkaiah Naidu said here that these were renamed "Bharat Suraksha Yatra," with emphasis on "security" issues.

The earlier plan was to call them "National Integration Yatra" with the focus on unity.

Mr. Naidu compared Mr. Advani's proposed journey from Rajkot in Saurashtra (instead of from Dwarka as earlier announced) to Delhi to Adi Sankara's pilgrimage from Kanyakumari to Kashmir centuries earlier.

But Mr. Advani's journey would be a "political pilgrimage."

While Mr. Advani sets off from Rajkot, Mr. Rajnath Singh will start from Bhubaneswar (after prayers at the Puri temple). Both will criss-cross the country, each covering 5,000-6,000 km, and meet here on May 10. In between, they will take time off to campaign for the Assembly elections.

On Wednesday, Mr. Rajnath Singh will go to Ayodhya to offer prayers at the makeshift temple, where the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992, to send the political message that the BJP under his leadership remains committed to building a Ram temple at the place.

His `yatra' coordinator Vijay Goel, BJP secretary, will accompany him.

The visit precedes the two `yatras,' which will not touch Ayodhya.

Mr. Naidu said the party rejected the Home Ministry's suggestion that bullet-proof `raths' be used for the two leaders on the plea that the `yatras' posed security problems.

"That was not possible as it would slow down the speed."

Even as Mr. Naidu claimed that the `yatras' were to "safeguard national security from `jehadi' terrorism and Left extremism," Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal, pooh-poohed the idea, pointing out that "nothing was done" to contain terrorism when the BJP was in power at the Centre.

At a press conference, he derided Mr. Advani's first `yatra' from Somnath to Ayodhya.

"The only purpose was to dislodge the V.P. Singh Government. It had nothing to do with Ram or building a temple for Lord Ram," he said. Mr. Advani "has lost the trust of Hindus, who will not turn up for his yatra."

The VHP's view is that Mr. Singh may still deliver on Hindutva but there is no expectation from Mr. Advani.

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