(Veteran BJP leader's Rath Yatra had unnerved the pseudo secularists. 'Jai Shri Ram' became more more than a traditional greeting, it became an endorsement of the view that secularism does not mean rejection of Indian history.)
New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached BJP patriarch L K Advani’s residence on Tuesday, Nov 8, to wish his onetime mentor on his 95th birthday.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also visited the veteran BJP leader who was deputy Prime Minister under PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Born in 1927 in Karachi Advani had joined the RSS at a young age and later worked for Jana Sangh.
Known for his organisational skills, Advani was a key founding member of the BJP in 1980 along withVajpayee for several decades.
It goes without saying that Advani's Rath Yatra had brought a monumental turn in national politics and enhanced the prospects of BJP's acceptability across India and especially in northern and central India.
Advani's personal website www.lkadvani.in says, "The awesome tidal wave of nationalism unleashed by the Yatra unnerved the pseudo secularists. 'Jai Shri Ram' became more more than a traditional greeting, itbecame a roaring endorsement of the BJP's view that secularism does not mean a rejection of our history and cultutal heritage".
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Advani has made a very important contribution to the country, society and the party and is counted among the country’s tallest personalities.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari called Advani a source of inspiration.
Home Minister Amit Shah also wished LK Advani on his birthday and said, “Advani ji, with his relentless efforts, strengthened the party organisation across the country and also made invaluable contributions to the country’s development while being part of the government".
In retrospect, Advani's now famous Rath Yatra had sparked off a strong Hindu fervour, something beyondcomprehension.This had resulted in BJP's emergence as a strong political entity and a genuine alternative to the Congress.
The BJP vote share saw a quantum leap taking it from 85 in 1989 to 120 in 1991 and then 161 in 1996 helpingthe saffron outfit to emerge as the single largest party. The BJP's Lok Sabha strength increased to 178 in 1998 and 182 in 1999.The BJP vote share in 1996 stood at 20.29 percent which again jumped to 25.59 in 1998.
In 2019, the vote share was 37.36 and the Lotus party won as many as 303 seats -- 21 more thanits 282 of 2014 tally.
Respected Advani, as I know him has been a film buff himself. During his days as Home Minister, I had traveled with him to Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. In the freewheeling interaction, he used to share about his liking for films.
Thus on December 16, 2014 afternoon, as Advaniji came out of Lok Sabha and walked towards his room in Parliament House ..…far off secluded from political chamchas that often kept gheraoed him even till 2012…..one song that came haunting in my mind was
: waqt ne kiya, kya haseen sitam (rendered much deeper meaning than its words by the powerful voice of Geeta Dutt). TIME u have done wonders !!
ends
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