Leader of the opposition and former Bharatiya Janata Party president L K Advani has announced that he and Rajnath Singh will go ahead with their Bharat Suraksha Yatra as planned despite increased terrorist to their lives.
Graphic: The BJP's twin yatras
He thanked the Union government for expressing their concern about the security of BJP leadership.
"I am thankful to the government of India that they are concerned about the security of myself as well as of Rajnath Singhji. We in the public life are not afraid of even human bombs. I faced an attack in Coimbatore bomb blasts. Thanks to ETV, which insisted that I give them an interview before I leave for the rally, I escaped the attack I later learnt that many people were killed in the serial blasts," he said.
Complete Coverage: The BJP's Twin Yatras
He was upset with the manner in which Kerala assembly passed a resolution to bail out the key accused in these serial blasts because of the vote bank politics.
He denied as out right rubbish a newspaper report, which said that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not happy with Advani's rath yatra.
"Vajpayee is very enthusiastic about the twin Suraksha Yatras to be taken out by me (Advani) and Rajnathji," Advani said, when his attention was drawn to a newspaper report, which quoted Vajpayee as having said that that it was very inopportune to go on such yatras now.
'Threat to BJP yatras is serious'
"Vajpayee's reaction was amazing when I spoke to him on Tuesday about the report," the former deputy prime minister said.
Advani said the 'Suraksha Yatras' enjoyed the support of all Sangh Parivar units as they were meant to 'educate the people about the dangers of the appeasement policy being pursued by the United Progressive Alliance government."
When pointed out that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad was opposing the yatras, Advani said it was not the case. "It is only a question of perception."
To a question whether they would again be talking about the Ayodhya issue during the yatras, he said the BJP was committed to constructing a Ram Temple at Ayodhya 'with the consensus' of the minority community. "We have not given up our temple agenda," he said.
With PTI inputs