Advani distances BJP from jobs for 'Bhumi Putras only'

New Delhi, Feb 11 (UNI) BJP's Prime Ministerial nominee L K Advani today distanced his party from the ongoing controversy over the Shiv Sena's demand for ''employment of only locals'' in Maharashtra and said his party can't go against the spirit of the Constitution which bestowed an Indian to live and work anywhere in the country.

Without taking any names, Mr Advani clarified to newspersons that the BJP right from its Jana Sangh days was for upholding the Constitution. However, there was a need to tackle the problem of migration caused by rural unemployment as it was putting pressure on urban infrastructure like slums because of housing shortage.

''We have to find out as to how the non-development of rural areas is having its own impact on migration to urban centres, so that both rural and urban Indias can live harmoniously. Both problems have to be tackled and the political parties will have to work unitedly for achieving this goal, he said without taking the names of either Shiv Sena, the BJP's ally in Maharashtra, or Maharashtra Navnirman Samiti of Raj Thackeray.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said medical, engineering and information technology were very much sought after professions around the globe but it was not so with untrained trades like carpentry, plumber and masons. These people were also good and their services were needed outside India but there should be a system to make them employable because they had learnt their skills through experience and not through training. They don't possess certificates.

He said the BJP can't think of doing anything against the spirit of the Constitution which allowed the citizen the right to live and work in any part of the country. In fact, the founder President of the party Shyama Prasad Mukherjee had laid down his life by entering Jammu and Kashmir without permit because it negated the spirit of the Constitution. It was he who had given to the country the famous slogan "Ek desh mein Do Vidhan, Do Pradhan aur Do Nishan Nahi Chalega Nahi Chalega" (There can't be two Constitutions, two Prime Ministers and two flags).

Mr Advani declined to take questions saying he had made the ''party's views clear'' and no further clarification was needed.

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