Advani's yatras nothing to do with Ram temple: VHP

New Delhi, Mar 28: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L K Advani's Somnath to Ayodhya rath yatra of 1990 had little to do with the Ram temple movement in Ayodhya and more to do with destabilising the Vishwanath Pratap Singh-led Government in Delhi, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) said today.

''As far as I know, it was aimed at bringing down the V P Singh government. It had nothing to do with the Ram temple movement,'' VHP President Ashok Singhal said, responding to a question at a press conference here.

The VHP leader appeared reluctant to support Mr Advani's ongoing National Integration Yatra, launched in the wake of the Varanasi blasts. Asked if the yatra would help the anti-Jehadi fight, he shot back, ''No''.

''He could do nothing while in power, cannot do anything now,'' he said, recalling that four Sangh activists were killed when Mr Advani was Home Minister.

While the Left-backed Congress Government ''cannot be depended at all'' to take on the jehadi elements, Mr Advani ''especially cannot do anything in this regard''.

Asked to comment on BJP President Rajnath Singh, he said the VHP wanted to see solid work on the Hindu agenda in the five BJP-ruled states and not just statements from the party chief.

The VHP is planning to intensify its struggle for a massive Ram temple at Ayodhya in Vikram Samvat 2063, which starts on March 30, he informed.

UNI

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