New Delhi, Sept 30: Coming down heavily on those indulging in "vote-bank politics", Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today favoured implementation of the uniform civil code (UCC) in the country and asserted that the manner of conducting politics had to change if India were to progress. Addressing a BJP rally here on culmination of the 35-day 'parivartan yatra' of Delhi unit chief Madan Lal Khurana, he said the party during the 2004 general elections would seek a mandate on the basis of performance of the Vajpayee government which has focussed on security and development.

"I am happy that courts are speaking on issues like uniform civil code and the problem of illegal Bangladeshis. The President has also favoured the uniform civil code," Advani said arguing that "if such a law can be prevalent in other countries, why can't it be implemented here".
He attributed non-implementation of UCC and the problems like activities of Pakistan's ISI and presence of illegal Bangladeshis to "vote-bank politics" and said "no government spoke against these before Vajpayee government assumed power as it was considered as being against a particular community".

"We should shun vote-bank politics for development and security of the country," he said.

Bureau Report