JMM demands ban on Advani's proposed Rathyatra

Jamshedpur, Mar 19 (UNI) Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Nasar Firdausi today demanded a ban on BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani's proposed Rathyatra from Sankatmochan temple in Varanasi.

Mr Firdausi urged President A P J Abdul Kalam to stop Mr Advani from taking out the yatra once again, saying it might disrupt communal harmony in the country and flare up riots.

He said the previous Rathyatra in the early nineties triggered widespread violence and riots, which ultimately led to the demolition of the Babri mosque.

He apprehended that this time too chances of a ''civil war like situation'' might prevail if the former BJP president was allowed to continue with his yatra. He termed the yatra as ''drama'' by Mr Advani.

Talking to newspersons here, Mr Firdausi, secretary of the Central committee of the JMM, addeged that by relaunching the yatra Mr Advani intended to use the communal sentiments of the majority community and also wanted to extract political mileage before the coming Assembly polls in five states.

Condemning the serial bomb blasts in Varanasi, Mr Firdausi called for a CBI probe into it.

He said hundreds of JMM and SSO activists would stage a dharna and demostration in front of the office of the East Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner tomorrow to demand a ban on the proposed Rathyatra.

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