Cong, Sonia must apologise: Advani
Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha LK Advani on Thursday blamed the Manmohan Singh government for practising the worst form of “communalism”, and sought an apology from the prime minister and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for “hurting the sentim...
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha LK Advani on Thursday blamed the Manmohan Singh government for practising the worst form of “communalism”, and sought an apology from the prime minister and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for “hurting the sentiments of millions of Hindus” across the globe by denying the existence of Lord Ram.
“It is clear that the Congress party’s pseudo-secularism has degenerated into sadist-secularism,” he said.
The BJP leader also rejected the government’s damage-limitation formula of submitting a supplementary affidavit, and, instead, demand its withdrawal. He also wanted the government to fix ministerial responsibility, and give an undertaking the Ram Sethu, which was described as a symbol of faith for millions of people, would be protected.
The BJP described the government’s assertion on Lord Ram as “the most perverted manifestation of pseudo-secularism”. “In the name of secularism, anti-Hinduism manifests itself from time to time. I believe that the touchstone of secularism should be the crucial question — what is often said against the Hindus, can it be hurled against other religions? I dare the secularists to say such things even indirectly against other religions and their symbols,” he said.
Speaking to newspersons after an emergency meeting of the BJP office-bearers, to take stock of the situation in the wake of the upheaval-triggering affidavit, Mr Advani effected a subtle shift in his party’s stance on the Congress-led alliance’s policies, holding its responsible for indulging in “communalism”, and not just minority appeasement.
Mr Advani put the onus for the “sacrilegious” affidavit on the prime minister and the Congress president. “The issue has been pending before the courts for quite some time. Its submission, thus, cannot a casual step. The government’s claim that it was filed without anyone’s approval does not hold. It is reflection of the ruling coalition’s mindset, which bursts into the open from time to time,” he said, and slammed attempts by the Congress spin-masters to distance the Congress president from the controversy. “These tactics cannot work. You cannot deceive the people every time. The responsibility of the prime minister and the UPA chairperson cannot be doubted,” he added.
“It is clear that the Congress party’s pseudo-secularism has degenerated into sadist-secularism,” he said.
The BJP leader also rejected the government’s damage-limitation formula of submitting a supplementary affidavit, and, instead, demand its withdrawal. He also wanted the government to fix ministerial responsibility, and give an undertaking the Ram Sethu, which was described as a symbol of faith for millions of people, would be protected.
The BJP described the government’s assertion on Lord Ram as “the most perverted manifestation of pseudo-secularism”. “In the name of secularism, anti-Hinduism manifests itself from time to time. I believe that the touchstone of secularism should be the crucial question — what is often said against the Hindus, can it be hurled against other religions? I dare the secularists to say such things even indirectly against other religions and their symbols,” he said.
Speaking to newspersons after an emergency meeting of the BJP office-bearers, to take stock of the situation in the wake of the upheaval-triggering affidavit, Mr Advani effected a subtle shift in his party’s stance on the Congress-led alliance’s policies, holding its responsible for indulging in “communalism”, and not just minority appeasement.
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“The issue pertains to the culture and unity of the country. It concerns genuine secularism,” Mr Advani remarked. He saw the contents of the affidavit in the same league as prime minister Manmohan Singh’s ``Muslims-have-the-first-claim-on-resources’’ statement. “I believe that our Constitution and the country’s political ethos mandates the first claim on resources on the hungry and the poor, regardless of their religious background. Will we have communal budgeting in the future. I consider it as an example of communalism,” he argued.Mr Advani put the onus for the “sacrilegious” affidavit on the prime minister and the Congress president. “The issue has been pending before the courts for quite some time. Its submission, thus, cannot a casual step. The government’s claim that it was filed without anyone’s approval does not hold. It is reflection of the ruling coalition’s mindset, which bursts into the open from time to time,” he said, and slammed attempts by the Congress spin-masters to distance the Congress president from the controversy. “These tactics cannot work. You cannot deceive the people every time. The responsibility of the prime minister and the UPA chairperson cannot be doubted,” he added.
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