Cover Story : BHARAT SURAKSHA YATRA

The Rajnath rath moves on
Gets a big hand everywhere

In the current phase of his Bharat Suraksha Yatra, BJP President Shri Rajnath Singh has covered the States of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar and in the present phase he is in Uttar Pradesh. At all the places en route he was given a rousing reception by the people. Welcome arches greeted him at almost every village, every inhabitation on the way. Flowers were showered on him. He was overwhelmed with garlands.They appreciated the cause for which the yatra had been undertaken. People’s presence in large numbers gave an indication of the affinity the public had developed with the causes for which BJP is fighting. In between, Shri Rajnath Singh, took a break, as scheduled, in the yatra to campaign in West Bengal and earlier in Assam where general elections to State assembly are under way. BJP TODAY presents a brief report filed by our Special Correspondents on what he stated during the public rallies and media conferences he addressed.

Ranchi (Jharkhand)
Pleads for national policy to curb naxalism
Planned conversions threat to national integration

BJP President Shri Rajnath Singh has asked the Central government to rise above party politics and formulate a national policy to combat the growing threat of Naxalism.in the country. He cautioned the government that if this is not done soon it could lead to a major threat to national security and result in a collapse of the law and order situation.

In a statement circulated during his Press Conference at Ranchi on April 13, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that the apart from having an active network here Naxalites had strong links with international terrorist organisations.. Despite the fact that the intelligence agencies were fully aware of this fact, the Central government had totally failed to take stringent action to check Naxalite menace, he added.

Shri Rajnath Singh said that while the Naxalite groups in India were in touch with the Nepali Maoists, they also continued to strengthen their links with terrorist outfits in Peru, Philippines, Srilanka and Bangladesh. He stated that the Naxalites were trying to make India an international hub of terrorist activities and the Central Government must immediately put an end to this.

The BJP president further stated that the Naxalite network had spread to over 150 districts in the country and had a cadre strength of over 10,000 persons. Each year hundreds of innocent people and security personnel were being killed in Naxalite violence. He appealed to Naxalite groups to give up the path of violence and adopt peaceful means to resolve their grievances. He felt that every problem can be solved peacefully through the process of dialogue.

Shri Rajnath Singh said as the main national Opposition party BJP will fully support any steps taken by the Central government to crush Naxalism in the country. He stated that Naxalism had taken roots in about 19 per cent of the forest belts in various States. It was therefore imperative that the Central government urgently intervene in the matter to check Naxalism.

Stating that the “red corridor” of Naxalism cannot be smashed by merely holding meetings, Shri Rajnath Singh said what was required was effective steps by the government to contain Naxalism. He expressed hope that the Central Government will take right initiative in the matter.

Come out of Indo-US deal

Shri Rajnath Singh has suggested that India should consider walking out of the Indo-US Nuclear energy deal if US does not grant the waiver as it has done with China on energy deal. He was addressing a Press Conference at Ranchi on April 11.

Shri. Singh said that the energy deal in the present form will cripple India’s capacity and the right to decide and develop its own nuclear deterrent from time to time with reference to international security scenario and our own national perception to threats facing India.
Since India has been a victim of aggression from Pakistan four times and once from China in the past, Shri Rajnath Singh felt it all the more necessary to keep updating our nuclear deterrent capacity as and when necessary. Shri Rajnath Singh termed the present energy deal with US as a sort of surrender and abdication of its right as a sovereign state to assess its security needs. He said that if the deal goes through the US Congress in the present form, before supplying nuclear energy fuel it will be Mr. Bush who will grant the annual certificate to India that it has not proliferated or diverted the enriched uranium for military purposes.

He also reminded that under the leadership of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpaye the NDA government had blankly refused to sign up the NPT or CTBT without succumbing to pressure from the then Clinton Administration. On the contrary, Manmohan Singh-led UPA government has given in to the pressures from the Bush Administration, he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh said the Maoist of Nepal, Naxalites of India and ISI of Pakistan have formed a nexus posing a great threat to internal security of the country. The Maoists and Naxalites are working in tandem, aided and abetted by ISI to destabilize our internal security and cause disharmony in the social fabric. He demanded that the UPA government should take the country and opposition into confidence on this vital threat as a result of the new nexus in pouring illegal weapons, arms and fake currency into India. He further said that ISI has created many ‘sleeper cells’ in the country and that India is threatened by external terrorism, via Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Gaya (Bihar)
Bangladesh is the epicentre of terrorism

Shri Rajnath Singh has said Bangladesh has become the epicentre of terrorism in the recent past. “Nearly 200 terrorist camps are functioning in Bangladesh with the active backing from the ISI,” he said demanding dismantling of Bangladeshi terrorist modules. He was speaking to the Media at Gaya on April 14.

He urged the Prime Minister to work towards creation of world opinion against the ISI and its nefarious activities. Launching a scathing attack on the ISI Shri Singh said this agency was a serious threat to peace in the region and a greater threat to security in Asia and the world. He demanded the Government of India build up pressure on the global community to bring the ISI activities under international scanner. He also blamed Pakistan for its role in promoting terrorism and called it a “terrorist hub”.

Shri Rajnath Singh said UPA Government had been a total failure on all fronts during the last two years. On the economic front, the performance of UPA Government had been lacklustre and spiralling prices of all essential commodities was credible evidence of it, he added. BJP President said the Congress was fast losing its ground ever since it came to power at the Centre. It lost power in many States like Jharkhand, Karnataka and even Bihar where it was supporting the ruling RJD coalition.

He said Bharat Suraksha Yatra had received an overwhelming response in all the States and it was a clear indication that the people of the country were with BJP as the issues raised by it very well concerned them all.

Patna
Calls for consensus on Common Civil Code

Shri Rajnath Singh has urged Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to set up a national-level Committee which can arrive at a consensus and frame a Common Civil Code. He was addressing a Press Conference during the 35-day Bharat Suraksha Yatra at Patna on April 15.

Referring to the Directive Principles, BJP President stated that Article 44 of the Constitution clearly states that the government should work towards making a common civil code for all its citizens.

Shri Rajnath Singh said that the Supreme Court had twice ruled that there should be a common civil code in the country. The Supreme Court ruling itself indicates that a common civil code would strengthen national unity in the country. He pointed out that since the time of Portugese presence in India, in Goa there had been a common civil code for all. There is a large Christian and Muslim population in Goa but there has never been any protest against the common civil code there.

Shri Rajnath Singh said that time and again many laws relating to the Hindu community have been enacted. When child marriages had to be stopped, the Sharda Act was passed. Earlier women had no rights. So in 1937 the Indian Women Property Rights Act was passed and women were given civil rights. In 1956 the Hindu Code Act was enacted. Even anti-dowry laws were formulated. He said that it should not be forgotten that several Muslim dominated countries were reforming their laws. For example, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan were ushering in changes in their laws.

He called for a national debate on the Common Civil Code stating that if members from all communities and sects participate in it, a law acceptable to all could be framed.

Shri Rajnath Singh said that the Supreme Court could not formulate laws; it could be done only through elected representatives in Parliament. He said it was time that a national committee be set up, which through a general consensus can prepare a report on the common civil code and submit it to the government.

Varanasi
If she had morality Sonia should have resigned on Volcker Report

Shri Rajnath Singh, has demanded that the Election Commission take note of the conduct of Congress Party in indulging in a conduct unbecoming of a political party by indulging in trading in non-contractual vouchers from Saddam regime under oil-for-food programme. If the money concerning these deals was credited or utilised, directly or indirectly, in the accounts of the Party, the Election Commission should inquire into it, he further demanded.
Shri Rajnath Singh was speaking to Media persons today at Varanasi before proceeding on his Bharat Suraksha Yatra from the city.

BJP President demanded that the conduct of Congress Party as per revelations in the Volcker Committee Report should be subjected to thorough inquiry because the name of the party figures as non-contractual beneficiary in the report.

Shri Rajnath Singh regretted so far no effort has been made to involve the Congress and Congress supremo Smt. Sonia Gandhi although the crime committed by Congress is no less serious than the one committed by former External Affairs Minister, Shri K. Natwar Singh. At present whatever inquiry is proceeding, it is only against Shri Natwar Singh and the conduct of Congress and Smt. Gandhi is being ignored altogether. All efforts of UPA government seem to be concentrated at saving the Congress Party and its supremo by all means, he added.

BJP President said that the six-month term of Justice Pathak Authority is going to expire on May 10 and from the pace of progress in the inquiry it doesn’t appear possible that the Authority would be able to complete its work and submit its report before that date. He alleged that UPA government is trying to sidetrack the inquiry to save Congress.

Taking a dig at tyag drama enacted by Smt. Gandhi, Shri Rajnath Singh asked why is she silent on Congress involvement in Volcker Committee Report for its involvement in discredited oil-for-food scam. If Smt. Gandhi had the slightest regard for morality and ethics, she should have resigned as Congress President the moment its name figured in the Report, he added.

Shri Rajnath Singh demanded that the term of Justice Pathak Authority should not be extended and the facts and documents with the Government should be made public. Shri Rajnath Singh alleged that Congress is submerged under corruption from head to toe and disclosures in Mitrokhin Archives-II, Bofors, Scorpene and Quattrocchi stand testimony to this fact.

Referring to today’s reports, Shri Rajnath Singh said that rates of interest on housing and personal loans are being further raised. According to Reserve Bank of India, the rate of inflation which was about 4 percent during the last year is expected to be between 6. and 6.5 percent during the current year. This means the people will have to further suffer under the strain of more increase in prices, he said.

Allahabad
Provide compensation to farmers whose crops were damaged

Shri Rajnath Singh demanded that UP government assess the damage caused to standing crops owing to bad weather and farmers extended adequate compensation for their loss.

He regretted that the UPA government had dumped the Farm Income Scheme started by the agriculture ministry during when he was the Agriculture in NDA government led by Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Assures temple construction.

Shri Rajnath Singh promised that when BJP voted to power at the Centre it would make efforts to usher in legislation to build Ram temple at Ayodhya. He however preferred a solution through dialogue and consensus. He has demanded that the government revive the Ayodhya cell in the prime minister’s office, as had been done earlier.

Lucknow
BJP to go all alone in UP

At Lucknow on April 21 Shri Rajnath Singh declared that the BJP had thrice helped the Bahujan Samaj Party to form government in the State, but this time it will not do so. He however said, if any party in Uttar Pradesh wants to support it was free to do so.

Shri Rajnath Singh expressed concern that the Uttar Pradesh police chief had admitted that many districts, including some in eastern and western UP were under the grip of ISI activities. He cited Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s statement that Naxalite and terrorist organisations were getting foreign aid.

He regretted that the recent conference of chief ministers of naxalite affected States was a mere formality and nothing concrete concrete had come out to face naxalism. Describing Uttar Pradesh government as insensitive and faceless, Shri Rajnath Singh charged that no concrete steps had been taken by it to improve the law and order situation in the State. He reminded that the State government had promised to the people to provide electric power at Rs. 2 per unit in two years but it has not been kept.

Shri Rajnath Singh regretted that India should have reacted much faster and earlier in response to developments in Nepal. He stressed on the need to restore democracy and peace in Nepal, at the same time taking care to ensurehat Maoist groups are not strengthened.