Cong dubs Advani's rath yatra as self delusion

New Delhi, Mar 20: Describing Opposition Leader L K Advani's proposed rathyatra as a ''yatra of self-delusion and self- promotion'', the Congress today (Mar 20, 2006) said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader owed an explanation to the country.

Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi asked Advani why he did not undertake the yatra when Parliament, Akshardham temple in Gujarat and Raghunath temple in Jammu and Kashmir were attacked by the ultras. This was not so even when the then Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh escorted militants to Kandahar in Afghanistan after they hijacked an Indian Airlines plane in Nepal.

He claimed that not even the close confidants of Advani were extending support to the Yatra, adding that the Yatra might have to experience many ''speed breakers'' on the way.

''We don't know whether Advani may have to leave the yatra half way through or divert it,'' he added.

The last rathyatra undertaken by Advani was characterised by ''acrimony, division, chaos and bloodshed,'' Singhvi said. ''He left footprints of protests, discontent and deep division.'' Singhvi said Advani should have taken out a retirement yatra instead of the rathyatra.

UNI