Advani surprised at Antony's remark

By Our Special Correspondent

KOCHI, APRIL 10. The Union Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani, said here today that no political party was untouchable to the BJP and its policies were not dictated by political untouchability.

Mr. Advani, who was talking to presspersons here this morning, said he was surprised at the recent statement of senior Congress(I) leader, Mr. A. K. Antony, that there was no question of the Congress(I) having an alliance with the CPI(M) and the BJP. Quoting from The Hindu, Mr. Advani said the statement by Mr. Antony would only lead to the political ``harakiri'' of the Congress(I) which has already lost its premier position as a national party.

Mr. Advani recalled the stand of the late Jan Sangh leader, Dr. Deendayal Upadyaya, in the late Sixties when the rank and file were concerned over the party aligning with the CPI in the Samyuktha Vidayak Dal (SVD) Ministry in Bihar. ``Deendayalji had allayed the fears and said that it was an evil to practise untouchability on social issues but not so in political matters.''

The Home Minister said that the Congress(I) was facing a dilemma, especially in States such as U.P., Bihar, West Bengal and Kerala- whether to think in the interests of people or to continue with its ``anti-BJPism'' in shaping its attitude. He said the BJP welcomed the move of the Trinamool Congress leader, Ms. Mamata Banerji, to form a ``grand alliance'' in West Bengal against the ``Marxist misrule''. He alleged that the two decade- old CPI(M) rule had ruined the economy of West Bengal. The Trinamool Congress, with the BJP, had shown how the Marxists' stranglehold can be loosened. He was sure that this alliance would dislodge the Left front in the coming Assembly elections.

Asked whether the BJP could have ties with the Congress(I) in Kerala to unseat the LDF Government, Mr. Advani said that with the stand of Mr. Antony and company, that was not practical.

Asked about the ``People's Police'' programme of the State Government, Mr. Advani said he was unaware of the same and had not studied the details. However, he generalised by saying that police should be free from all political affiliations and function independently. He also replied in the negative whether there was any directive from the Union Home Ministry to form ``people's police'' as claimed by the State Chief Minister.

When a scribe asked about the ISI strengthening its activities in the east coast, he said the Government was considering submission of a ``white paper'' on the activities of the ISI. Asked about the State Government's Bill banning physical training on the premises of religious institutions, he said it was yet to become law and the Centre was having its own views on the matter.

To a query on the ``match-fixing controversy'' and the reported demand of the South African Government, the Union Minister said the matter was under investigation and it would be premature to offer his comments now.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : National
Previous : 'Two-track' strategy confuses Cong. allies
Next     : 'Politicisation' of ICHR decision 'shocks'
           historians