Advani says purpose of Somnath yatra stands fulfilled

New Delhi, Sep 25 (PTI) Delinking his anti-corruption
Yatra from the contentious Ram Janmabhoomi issue, L K Advani
Sunday said the purpose of his Somnath Yatra of 1990 stands
fulfilled with the court accepting the claim for a temple
where Ramlala idols have been kept in Ayodhya in the north
Indian state Uttar Pradesh.
The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, who had
been visiting Somnath on all previous anniversaries of his Ram
Rath Yatra that had begun on 25 September in 1990, chose to
skip the annual ritual this time but stressed that the
development has nothing to do with any angst against western
Indian state Gujarat (Chief Minister Narendra Modi).
There have been speculations about straining of
relationship between Advani and Modi after the former
announced his Yatra and the latter organized a much-hyped
three-day fast in Gujarat recently.
"On 25 September every year, I have been visiting Somnath
but I have not gone there today as I had already committed
myself to attending this function. Some people will say, I
have not gone there under a design or because I am angry with
Gujarat.
"What is there to be angry with Gujarat. No praise
suffices for the governance in Gujarat. Howsoever you praise
the governance in Gujarat is less. This is not the reason for
my not visiting Gujarat," Advani said.
The BJP leader said that the three judges bench of the
Allahabad High Court has by "unanimously accepting the claim
(for a temple) where the idol of Ramlala is kept, has endorsed
that movement"
Advani said, "It is hoped that the same will be endorsed
by the Supereme Court too...the basic issue has been endorsed
in the High Court decision. I believe that the main objective
for which the programme (Somnath Yatra) was orgnized will now
be successful," he said.
Advani was speaking after releasing a special issue of
"Kamal Sandesh" a fortnighly published by Shyayma Prasad
Mukherjee Smriti Nyas here.
Noting that his October 11 Rathyatra being flagged off by
eastern Indian state Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar from
Sitabdiara, is "inspired by corruption this time", he said it
will highlight that the country needs "good governance and
clean politics".
Attacking the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)
government, he said, "While the British looted Rs one lakh
crore from the countrymen in 200 years, our own people who
ruled the country for 60 years, looted Rs 70 lakh crore
deposited in Swiss Banks and other tax havens."
He said he had written to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh urging him to take steps to bring back the black money
stashed in foreign banks but "since then uptill now, this
government has not taken" serious steps.
"This issue will also be in focus during this Yatra," he
said adding that a campaign will also be launched against
"corruption within" the country.
He said that value-based politics should be done in a
manner that people should have confidence that a particular
leader cannot be corrupt if he is from BJP even if allegations
are hurled.
Senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu also attacked the
Centre, saying, "The present government is the best example of
the worst governance."
"Such a corrupt government was never seen in India's
history," he said.
He said Advani's Yatra will send a message to people of
the country that "there is a need for change" and will "arouse
people's awareness against bad governance".
Taking a jibe at present day politicians, Naidu said,
they first see their interests, then the party's and in the
last their country's.