Advani’s rath yatra runs into first hurdle

A controversy has hit day two of senior BJP leader LK Advani’s Jan Chetna Yatra.

Zeenews Bureau

Patna: A controversy has hit day two of senior BJP leader LK Advani’s Jan Chetna Yatra. Advani, who was to hold a rally at Mughalsarai in Uttar Pradesh at 5.00 pm on Wednesday, has been denied permission for the same.

The rally was to be held on the land owned by the Railways. However, the Railways have refused to grant permission for any such public function.

Advani is scheduled to arrive in Uttar Pradesh this evening from Bihar’s Sitab Diara where he yesterday kicked-off his 38-day long yatra. After an overnight halt in Patna, the senior BJP leader was due to move to Danapur and then to Ara and Buxar before entering UP.

Earlier this morning, while speaking to the press Advani said he was ridiculed by the Congress for raising the black money issue.

Speaking at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan, Advani said the UPA government has failed to tackle the black money issue.

While saying the issue never been pursued previously, the BJP leader demanded that the government reveal the names of Indians who have stashed black money in foreign havens.

He added that the opposition NDA will benefit from UPA’s poor performance in the next elections.

The BJP leader further noted that he had not seen such a reception to any of his previous yatras as the one witnessed in Bihar.

The BJP leader’s Jan Chetna Yatra will take him through 100 districts in 38 days - and hopefully closer towards power in the next general election.

On Tuesday, he called for a "brighter India" free of corruption. He further asked people to take an oath that they would oppose graft and rising prices.

He also said yesterday that his party will force the government to bring back illegal money stashed abroad.

Political analysts feel that Advani chose popular themes like corruption and black money for his sixth rath yatra to avoid any controversy, as during his 1990 campaign for a Ram temple at Ayodhya.

Advani has since been on five similar campaigns for varying causes, but none as successful as the Somnath-Ayodhya Ram Rath Yatra.

The public awareness campaign will see Advani cover about 300 km a day in his special rath, a modified bus.

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