SITAB DIARA/CHAPRA: BJP stalwart L K Advani set off on his sixth yatra in 21 years on Tuesday to focus on rash of scams and black money issues, giving a clarion call for not just ‘change’ in leadership but also change in the system.
Embarking on his 38-day ‘Jan Chetna Yatra'(public awarness journey) from Bihar to highlight UPA government’s “failings” on corruption issues, 84-year-old Advani said he would point out wrongs in his party as well.
“I will point out the wrongs in my party too. If there is graft in my party, I will weed it out too,” said Advani, who has remained non-committal about whether he sees himself as his party’s candidate for Prime Minister in the next general elections.
“What has happened during the last one year in the country has forced people to lose faith…. They have lost faith in the leadership of the government…. Cases of corruption are surfacing one by one,” Advani said while addressing public meetings at Sitabdiara and Chapra, where the rath yatra was flagged off by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at the Airport Ground.
He earlier visited Jayaprakash Narayan’s ancestral village in Sitab Diara, near Chhapra, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the anti-Emergency hero.
“Corruption should end in this country. There should not just be a change of leadership but also a change in the system,” the former deputy prime minister said.
He said there is growing anger and resentment among people against leaders coming to power only to mint money by indulging in corruption. “Enough is enough…. the country will not tolerate it.”
Advani also emphasised that the yatra is aimed at good governance and clean politics as also the issues of Lokpal and for bringing back blackmoney stashed away abroad Addressing the rally at Chhapra, Kumar said Advani’s rally targeted corruption “but there were some people who tried to see what is not there.
The Yatra will cover 7,600 km, travel through 23 states and four union territories and culiminate in Delhi.
Advani’s first yatra was in 1990 which was Ram Rath yatra and it started from Somnath to Ayodhya. (PTI)