HOME   
   NEWS   
   BUSINESS   
   CRICKET   
   SPORTS   
   MOVIES   
   NET GUIDE   
   SHOPPING   
   BLOGS  
   ASTROLOGY  
   MATCHMAKER  


Search:



The Web

Rediff








News
Capital Buzz
Commentry
Dear Rediff
Diary
Elections
Interviews
Rediff Poll
Specials
Gallery
The States



Home > News > PTI

Is being Hindu a sin, asks Advani

January 05, 2003 00:20 IST

The Bharatiya Janata Party would give a 'fitting reply' if the opposition made Hindutva an issue and 'calls us communal', Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani said on Saturday.

Addressing a Gujarat BJP executive meeting in Gandhinagar, he said, "India is predominantly a Hindu country and is secular only because of Hindutva."

He talked on issues ranging from cultural nationalism to secularism and criticised the 'English media' for resorting to an 'anti-BJP' campaign following the riots in Gujarat.

"We should be thankful to the English media for their anti-BJP campaign, which ultimately resulted in a protest vote in favour of the party," he said.

He said good governance, security and development will be the three poll planks of the BJP in all the ensuing elections.

"Is being Hindu a sin?" Advani asked at one point.

"The more you talk about Godhra and its aftermath, the more it will benefit the party," he remarked adding, "the media as well as the opposition failed to understand the pulse of masses."

Advani also made a critical mention of former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and alleged that he was 'under the influence of a distorted version of secularism put forward by communists'.

However, he said, "Nehru was a believer in secularism, but those who followed him later used it for vote-bank politics to woo both Hindus and Muslims."


© Copyright 2003 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.



Article Tools

Email this Article

Printer-Friendly Format

Letter to the Editor



Related Stories


'PM cannot comment on Hindutva'

'Mathura, Varanasi not on agenda'

Hindutva wont work in HP: Ex-CM








HOME   
   NEWS   
   BUSINESS   
   CRICKET   
   SPORTS   
   MOVIES   
   NET GUIDE   
   SHOPPING   
   BLOGS  
   ASTROLOGY  
   MATCHMAKER  
Copyright © 2003 rediff.com India Limited. All Rights Reserved.