Advani rath yatra diversion from real political agenda: Left

New Delhi, Mar 9 (UNI) The Left parties today stated that BJP senior leader L K Advani's decision to go in for another "rath yatra" was nothing but an" abortive attempt" to regain lost prestige in his party and rake up emotions for political purposes.

The leaders of the CPI(M), CPI and Forward Bloc refused to buy Mr Advani's assertion that the UPA government's" minority appeasement" policy had contributed towards the Varanasi blasts and that the Left had allowed themselves to be used as an instrument in the hands of the Samajwadi Party (SP) for mobilising anti-Bush protests.

Talking to UNI, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said," the announcement by Mr Advani for a rath yatra on the issue of Varanasi blasts is a double edged weapon; on the one hand he wants to assert his own authority in his own party and on the other to communalise politics just to boost the sagging morale of the BJP." Mr Bardhan also lambasted the BJP leader for his attempts to divert the political discourse from economic and foreign policy affairs to once again on communalism.

CPI(M) senior leader and Polit Bureau member M K Pandhe said the only objective of Mr Advani's yatra was to re- establish his position in the party which is" embroiled in inner disorder" and to raise sentiments to make political capital.

Mr Pandhe asked pointedly why he did not embark on a similar yatra when Parliament was attacked and other terrorist strikes took place during the NDA regime.

"Whenever some thing happens in Uttar Pradesh, Mr Advani blames Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav," the CPI(M) leader said while complimenting both communities and all other sections of society for demonstrating a " heroic example" in maintaining the social fabric even in the face of the blasts by terrorists which claimed at least 17 lives.

Mr Pandhe said even a layman could make out that the Varanasi blasts were not the direct result of any" minority appeasement" as alleged by Mr Advani, but because of non-solution of certain political problems in the country and growing problem of terrorism in most parts of the world.

Joining issue with the former BJP chief's statement that the Left parties had allowed themselves to be used as an instrument in the hands of the SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav during anti-Bush demonstrations, the CPI(M) leader quipped," why should the Left with as many as 61 members in the Lok Sabha do so?" He reminded Mr Advani of his party's association with Mayawati's BSP and questioned if the BJP was also a "stooge of the BSP." Mr Pandhe stressed that anti-Bush protests are on the increase worldwide including the US.

CPI national Secretary Shamim Faizi demanded that the Varanasi blasts also be probed from the angle of political beneficiaries as well.

"Mr Advani is playing the role of a tool in the nefarious game of shifting the real political agenda before the nation. The BJP leader by pouring venom, had returned to his old habit of alleging minority appeasement responsible for several ills the country is facing. " He also criticised Mr Advani for dubbing the anti Bush protests as a protest by a single community, while stresing that," it is nothing but playing the game of the imperialist forces like the US." Forward Bloc National Secretary G Devrajan said the people would defintely reject Mr Advani going back to" old communal ignition" as he was attempting to" communalise the whole issue of national security." Refuting the accusation of " minority appeasement," the Forward Bloc leader said it was the responsibility of the Government to take every possible step to remove the social, educational and economic backwardness of the minorities." This is very much enshrined in the CMP." He said the anti-Bush feeling was gaining ground worldwide.

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