BJP's Bharat Shuraksha Yatra is a flop show: Congress

Vadodara, Apr 9 (UNI) The Congress today dubbed the 'Bharat Shuraksha Yatra' presently undertaken by the BJP across the country, as a ''flop show'' because of total rejection of the yatra by the people.

''The twin yatra taken out by BJP leaders--L K Advani and Rajnath Singh in the name of national security, is the result of serious infightings in the BJP rank and file,'' said Congress spokesman Satyabrat Chaturvedi.

Mr Chaturvedi told newsmen here, ''This Bharat Shuraksha Yatra will be the antim yatra (last yatra) of Mr Advani as far as his political career is concerned.'' He said the BJP leader, who is being boycotted by the Sangh Parivar as well as his own party leaders, was leading the yatra not to create public awareness about national security, but for his own political security, which was now at stake.

Claiming that the differences between BJP President Rajnath Singh and Mr Advani had come to the fore with the issue of contradictory statements by the duo, he said adding, this would be widened further and the misgivings of the people about BJP would be removed by the time the yatras end.

On the opposition's criticism of the Congress party for its alleged minority appeasement policy, the CWC member said his party was committed to fighting for the uplift of the poor and minorities in all possible manner. When asked what prompted the union HRD Minister Arjun Singh to announce 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in IIM, IIT and other central universities in the midst of elections in five states, Congress spokesman said, ''This is just a coincidence. No motive should be read behind this.'' The Congress leader said this was not a new announcement as the decision regarding reservation for OBC in such institutions was decided after discussion in Parliament a couple of years ago. However, the government was open to all suggestions on the issue. Mr Chaturvedi, who arrived here today to attend a Congress-sponsored 'Jan Mitra Sibir' at the Narmada dam site, ridiculed the opposition's allegation that it was Sonia Gandhi who was on the steering wheel of the government instead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Stating that BJP was in fact facing a political bankruptcy without any issue on hand, he said, ''The Congress would continue to fight against casteist and communal politics, and prove its worth in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.'' UNI SS KU RL PM1728