In Gandhinagar, Advani talks reconciliation

Admitting that relations between Hindus and the Muslims in the country had been strained for a long time, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani ...

Admitting that relations between Hindus and the Muslims in the country had been strained for a long time, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani on Monday said that it was ‘‘time for a reconciliation between the two communities everywhere, including the state’’.

After filing his nomination from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, Advani said the NDA Government had initiated efforts in that direction. ‘‘But, reconciliation is not possible at the cost of injustice,’’ he said.

To a question, the DPM said his Bharat Uday Yatra had received an overwhelming response from Muslims in Hubli recently. ‘‘The town once had a Hindu-Muslim divide over the Idgah issue. Despite this, a large number of Muslims came out to greet the yatra.’’ When asked why Muslims in Gujarat were not joining the BJP, Advani replied: ‘‘I hope this will happen here, too. I am not aware if the trend has started here.’’

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On improving Indo-Pak relations, he said cricket was a small but important step towards normalising relations. ‘‘The talks in Lahore and later in Agra had failed. But, a joint statement by Vajpayee and Pervez Musharraf will hopefully prove a milestone in normalising relations,’’ he said. Advani said he thought of kicking off the second phase of his yatra from Dwarka, but chose Porbandar as a symbolic gesture.

He equated Gandhiji’s concept of su-raj with Ram rajya, and said the BJP’s poll plank would be ‘‘good governance, development and leadership’’.

‘‘We cannot ignore the importance of the Somnath-Ayodhya rath yatra I had taken out in 1990. I am confident that a Ram temple will be built at Ayodhya with the help of all sections of people after the LS polls,’’ he said.