Navi Mumbai: Despite the Hindutva issue
failing to cut much ice during the Lok Sabha elections, senior
BJP leader L K Advani has renewed his commitment to build a
grand Ram Temple at Ayodhya.
"It is my cherished dream to have a 'bhavya' (grand) Ram
Mandir at Ayodhya," the former Deputy Prime Minister said,
addressing an election rally here last night.
Advani's statement was greeted with applause by the
gathering which came to hear him campaign for Shiv Sena-
BJP alliance candidates Suresh Haware (Belapur) and Vijay
Chougule (Airoli) for the October 13 Assembly polls.
During his visit to the Somnath temple last month, Advani
had said he would keep visiting the temple till the Ram Mandir
is built in Ayodhya.
Appealing to voters of Maharashtra to bring about a change
by voting for Sena-BJP combine, Advani compared the
Congress-led government in the country to British rule.
"The Congress regime is not much different from the
British rule. Innocent people thought that there would be
'surajya' (good governance) after the British leave India. But
Congress has pushed the country into the jaws of inflation and
starvation," he said.
Advani also spoke of having American-style debates for
political candidates, like the presidential debates in the US.
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, October 10, 2009, 15:10