'Yatra' aims to generate self-confidence among people: LK Advani

Amid speculation over BJP's prime ministerial candidate, LK Advani Thursday said that his yatra was not aimed at "repackaging" himself.

"People ask me if this yatra of yours is to repackage Advani. My answer is very clear that it has no link with me or the BJP.

"It aims to generate self-confidence among the people in this hour of deep dejection," Advani said while flagging off Jan Swabhiman Yatra led by national vice-president Kalraj Mishra in Uttar Pradesh.

Advani spoke after party leader Uma Bharti claimed that he is the "most capable person" to lead the country in the present situation.

Welcoming Advani's yatra here, Bharti said that in the past Vishwanath Pratap Singh had raised the issue of corruption in Bofors and had gone on to become the Prime Minister.

"Advani ji is the most capable person to lead the country in the present situation," she said and added that though Advani "would turn 84 in November, he retained the enthusiasm of a twelve-year-old".

Bharti said that she had argued with Advani when at a BJP national executive in Mumbai in 1995, Advani had proposed Atal Bihari Vajpayee's name as the BJP's prime ministerial choice.

Advani, she said, had taken that decision to uphold the wishes of the people. As his yatra crossed Uttar Pradesh, where assembly polls are due next year, Advani said the state should take lead in rooting out corruption.

"Huge amount of black money is stashed away in foreign banks. The country which has huge potential is unable to become a great nation," he said.

Advani said that it was unfortunate that whatever was being done to address the menace of corrution, is either by the courts, CAG or PAC while "the government is doing nothing".

"Confidence of the people was shaken when they heard about spectrum case, Mumbai land scam and corruption in Commonwealth Games project," Advani said.

The BJP leader said Uttar Pradesh being a crucial state, it was important that corruption menace is fought effectively. "A good opportunity has come."

"There is deep sense of dejection among people and this yatra is an attempt to generate confidence during this period of depression," Advani said and claimed that corruption was the root cause of inflation.

"If this black money stashed in foreign banks is brought back, of the six lakh villages in the country there will not a be single one without drinking water, road, school and electricity.

"The country which is being considered poor will become prosperous," he said.

"I have done six yatras, but from the response generated by his yatra it seems that it will give positive return," Advani said.

Praising senior leader Murali Manohar Joshi, he said Joshi "exposed" the Prime Minister and the then Finance Minister in the 2G case.

"Bhrastachaar mitayenge, naya bharat banayenge aur Kala dhan wapas layenge naya bharat banayenge  (We will root out corruption and make a new India and We will bring back the black money and make a new India) are the new slogans," he said.

Advani said that he has emotional attachment with Mugalsarai and Varanasi. "In Mugalsarai Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya made the supreme sacrifice. Varanasi is the place where my family spent four years before moving to Kutch after coming from Pakistan."

Speaking on the occasion, Joshi alleged that Congress was creating hurdles in probe into 2G case.

"There is scam everywhere and allegation are being leveled against the CAG after it assessed 2G scam to the tune of Rs 50,000 crore to Rs 1.76 lakh crore," he alleged.

Kalraj Mishra, who will lead the yatra, alleged that there was complete anarchy in the state where corruption "has been institutionalised".

BJP leaders including Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Uma Bharati, Ravi Shanker Prasad and Ananth Kumar were present on the occasion.

BJP Leader LK Advani Thursday said he has initiated the yatra to generate confidence among the people "demoralised" by corruption in the country and that it was not aimed at projecting himself.

"People ask me that this yatra is to project myself in a new form but I tell them that it has nothing to do with me or my party BJP...It's only to generate self confidence among the people, who are feeling demoralised due to rising corruption", Advani said here while addressing a rally.

Alleging that the Centre was doing nothing on the issue of corruption, he said that whenever corruption cases have come to the fore it through CAG of PAC but not by the government.

Hailing PAC Chairman Murli Manohar Joshi for exposing the 2G scam, Advani said his objective was to ensure that blackmoney stashed away in foreign banks came back to the country so that all villages have facilities of Bijli, Sadak and Paani (electricity, road and water)."

"The country lost confidence due to 2G spectrum and CWG scams and government's inaction in corruption issues and my yatra's lone objective is to bring it back", he said.

Noting that the main reason behind price rise was blackmoney, he said if the money was brought back, there would be no problems in initiating developmental schemes for the poor.

Advani, who also flagged off party leader Kalraj Mishra's Jan Swabhiman Yatra from here, said his ongoign yatra got encouraging response in Bihar.

Senior party leaders Kalraj Mishra, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, party state president Surya Pratap Shahi also addressed the gathering.

Earlier, Advani visited Vishwanath temple and paid obeisance there.

Addressing a meeting in Mirzapur, Advani attacked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, claiming that he was "indecisive" and looked "towards 10 Janpath" for all important decisions.

He told the people that UP voters had "a chance to move towards a clean system an year before the rest of the country," referring to the state elections next year.

As the yatra later entered Madhya Pradesh from Mirzapur district in UP, a huge crowd led by state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan greet Advani.

"Several villages on this route don't have full time electricty and once money from foreign banks will ensure that there are no villages without electricity,"  Advani said amid cheers and sloganeering.

As Advani's daughter Pratibha captures the scene on a videocamera, the BJp leader said, "I have received better response this time than all my previous yatras."

Sirens blared as the MP CM escorted Advani's rath towards Satna for a night halt. BJP flags and billboards were put all along the route

MP is the third state where Advani's rath yatra has reached after Bihar and UP.

Advani also made an unscheduled halt when a group of Italian travellers waved the caravan to stop.

Taking over the microphone, a BJP speaker told the amused Italians about Advani's 38-day yatra.