LK Advani shares dais with bootlegger: Congress

NEW DELHI: BJP veteran LK Advani’s Jan Chetna Yatra had yet another brush with controversy when he was found sharing the dais with an alleged bootlegger in Daman and staying at a hotel owned by another bootlegger.

Advani had on Saturday addressed a rally in Daman with alleged bootlegger Suresh Patel by his side. Patel alias Sukha has been booked in several criminal cases and was earlier detained under Prevention of Anti-Social Activities (PASA) Act.

Presenting the media with a photograph of Advani and Suresh on the dais, Leader of Opposition in Gujarat Shaktisinh Gohil wondered what awareness the BJP leader was trying to create in the bootlegger. Gohil alleged Suresh had been detained thrice under PASA, besides being wanted in several cases of bootlegging and even murder.

As per the Congress leader, there were 28 cases filed against him in Gujarat and two in Maharashtra. As if sharing the dais with the Patel was not bad enough, Advani even chose a hotel owned by another alleged bootlegger for his stopover at Daman.

Hotel Sea Rock, where the BJP leader was lodged for the night, is owned by Jayshree, wife of alleged bootlegger Harshad Bhandari. Not only is Bhandari involved in several cases, but even the hotel is charged with violation of CRZ rules.

“BJP’s double standards have been exposed,” Congress general secretary BK Hariprasad said in New Delhi on Monday. “Advani preaches one thing and practices something exactly the opposite,” Gohil added. The BJP, however, was quick to brush aside the incidents.