'Bharat Suraksha Yatra will be a turning point in national politics'

Solapur, Apr 11 (UNI) BJP senior leader L K Advani today said his Bharat Suraksha Yatra will be a ''turning point'' in the national politics just like his first Ram Rath Yatra 16 years ago.

Addressing a series of public rallies around Pune-Solapur highway, Mr Advani said his first rath yatra in 1990 brought in a major revolution resulting in mass awakening about ''games played by pseudo-secular forces.

The then central government headed by V P Singh had to go because of his (Mr Advani) arrest at Samastipur in Bihar, while he was heading towards Ayodhya, he said.

The Ram Rath yatra made the BJP grow from strength to strength every year and it was now a principle party heading the Opposition NDA, he asserted addressing a roadside meeting at Mohal village.

Later addressing the rally at Om Maidan in Solapur, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said corruption in the government and the pursuance of the appeasement policy was playing havoc with the good governance, secure borders and safety for common man.

Appealing to the Muslim electorate, Mr Advani said the BJP was not against the Muslims but it was against exploiting the minority sentiments for the sake of their votes.

He said he would like to ask the Muslims to teach appropriate lesson to the political parties who audaciously solicited their support by making a look alike of al qaeda chief Osama bin Laden to campaign for them in the Bihar elections.

''This is nothing but an insult to the patriotic spirit of the Muslims,'' he said.

Referring to the recently concluded elections in Asom, Mr Advani said as far as Asom is concerned his party is ''fully back.'' The view that no Assamese Muslim was harassed but at the same time no Bangladeshi inflitrator should be allowed to stay unhindered has helped the party to consolidate in the state.

BJP General Secretary Pramod Mahajan said when the yatra was announced there were many discordant views that this yatra will stoke communal trouble.

Joining the issue with Mr Advani he said, ''We are not against Islam, Muslims or Quran. If we were to pursue anti-Muslim policies the nation would not have a President like Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, who was in the position by his own right.'' He also said Mr Advani will be visiting the famous temple of Siddharameshwar in Solapur and Tulajadevi mandir in Tulajapur and Panduranga Vitthala temple at Pandarapur tomorrow before he proceeds with his seventh day of his Bharat Suraksha Yatra.

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