NEW DELHI: The Opposition leader L.K.Advani on Oct.18 accused the Prime Minister P.V Narasimha Rao of abetting corruption in high places and warned that together with the Ayodhya issue corruption would prove to be the nemesis of the Congress government.

Advani said even the Congressmen believed that Narasimha Rao was responsible for the rampant corruption prevalent in the country especially in the states ruled by the Congress.

“It is not just me who is saying this. Ask Congress men in Karanataka Kerala Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. They will tell you how corrupt their Chief Ministers are” said Advani.

Corruption ted to the fall of the Rajiv government and Ayodhya claimed V.P.Singh. “At times I believe that corruption and Ayodhya will together claim the Narasimha Rao government” the BJP leader said.

Advani who was addressing a mammoth pasty rally here on Sunday referred to the Securities scam as “a scandal which makes the Bofors issue seem chickenfeed.”

Still dwelling on the issue of corruption Advani quoted the late Rajiv Gandhi as having said “if I send one Rupee it becomes 15 paise by the time it reaches the person it is meant for.” This still applied as corruption was still rampant in the country Advani Stressed.

Meanwhile the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a nation-wide “bandh” on November 3 #n protest against spiraling prices Party leaders have instructed their cadres in Delhi not to allow vehicles on the roads and ensure that educational institutions offices and business establishment remain closed on that day

The call for an ‘All India bandh’ was given at a massive rally here on Sunday billed as the Antyodaya Sammelan and organized with an eye on future Delhi elections.

Led by senior party leader L.K.Advani BJP leaders launched scathing attacks on the Narasimha Rao Government its policies and the performance of Congress-ruled states Advani went to the extent of saying that he could foresee the fall of the Narasimha Rao Government on the issues of corruption and Ayodhya.

Defending the BJP stance on Ayodhya Advani said Ram was a symbol of national integration. “Our critics can say what they wish but they cannot change the minds of millions Ram is a symbol of unity of national integration said the BJP supremo.

Advani came down heavily on the Congress for “not wanting to do anything” on the issue of Bangladesh infiltrators. “I had a Jong chat with Begum Khaleda Zia when she was here recently She tried to tell me that these people (the illegal immigrants) were Indians and not Bangladeshis as they had been casting votes But I told her that if someone infiltrates and manages 10 get his name on the electoral list it did not make that person an Indian. To us that someone will remain a Bangladeshi” said Advani.

Returning to Antyodaya the issue before the party leaders on Sunday Advani said the correct yardstick to judge efforts towards uplifument of the weaker sections would be to assess the work done in providing education and employment opportunities.

Others who spoke and attended the rally included crowd-puller Shatrughan Sinha and Party leaders Kedar Nath Sahni Tarachand Khandelwal Sahib Singh Verma Mewa Ram Arya and Ram Bhaj.

The Sammelan also adopted a resolution almost the party manifesto for the future Delhi elections which called for creation of an Antyodaya corporation extension of the Lal Dora in every village regularization of unauthorized colonies and extension of basic amenities to the same 25% hike in the wages of workers ration cards for the slum-dwellers taking up projects on a war-footing for the betterment of Scheduled Castes a rural Master plan for development of rural areas time bound implementation of development projects and permanent Tehbazaari rights for roadside vendors.

MODINAGAR: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) general secretary Ashok Singhal said no further time would be given to the Central Government for deciding the Ramjanambhumi Babri Masjid issue.

Singhal who came here to attend the 10-day Ram Katha of Mahatama Vijay Kaushal here said on Saturday night a temple devoted to Lord Ram would be constructed at Ayodhya at all costs and the ker seva would begin there before the next Parliament session in November.

 

Article extracted from this publication >> October 30, 1992