Poojary questions Advani's 'morality'

Mangalore, October 29: Taking a dig at former deputy prime minister L K Advani's Jan Chetana Yatra, which is supposed to entre Karnataka Sunday, Congress veteran B Janardhan Poojary questioned the moral right of the octogenarian leader to hold an anti-corruption rally, when many senior BJP leaders in the state are involved in mega scandals.

Addressing a press meet here on Sunday, former KPCC president dared Mr Advani to demand the resignation of Home Minister R Ashoka, who is facing land grabbing charges, and sack former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who is remanded in judicial custody, from the party, if he has any morality.

Coming down heavily on rath yatra habit of Mr Advani, he dubbed the Jana Chetana Yatra as mere a drama.

Recalling the violent and hateful history of BJP stalwart's previous rath yatras, Mr Poojary said that once he had launched a rath yatra with a pledge to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Their mission ended up in demolition of Babri Masjid, but, their pledge of temple construction remained unfulfilled even today, he said.

“Now, you pledge to fight against corruption through Jan Chetana Yatra. But, do you really have the moral right to rally against corruption?”, Mr Poojary quested the BJP leader in his typical way.

Reminding that corruption in BJP is not confined to Karnataka, he said, when Mr Advani was the home minister of India, then BJP national president Bangaru Laxman was caught red hand while receiving bribe. Moreover leaders like George Fernandes and Jaya Jaitley were also in the list of corrupt politicians. “Had you taken any action on those leaders when you were in the power at the Centre,” Mr Pooajary asked the former Dy PM.

Satirising Mr Advani's slogans against corruption and his harsh remarks against Congress government, Mr Poojary said that he should not forget that he is sitting in the glass house. “Have your questioned yourself before blaming others?” he asked.

He also recalled that Mr Advani himself had refused to step down from the power as home minister of Indian, when a charge sheet was filed against him.

Turning his ire at RSS, he questioned what action has been taken against the outfit, which was apparently involved in terrorism in the country and is accused in many blast cases including Hyderabad, Malegaon and Pune?

“After all your Yatra will entre Mangalore, where minorities have been repeatedly targeted by hardliners. Here Christians were targeted and their places of worship were attacked,” he said.

He also exhorted Adavni to reject the controversial report submitted by Justice B K Somashekara Commission of Inquiry, appointed by the BJP government to probe into the attacks on churches in Karnataka in 2008. The commission had given a clean chit to BJP and Sangh parivar outfits.