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THE POLITICALTHEATRE
SERIOUS, SOLID POLITICS: GOING BEHIND THE SCENES & DECODING THE POWER MATRIX FOR YOU

I got the idea after they threw stones in J&K: Thakur

T
HE Bharatiya Janata Partys Ekta Yatra has kicked up much storm, but Anurag Thakur, the partys youth wing member who is leading it, is unruffled. The BJP MP says the yatra, which has crossed ten states, has been peaceful, and has given an open invitation to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to join him to hoist the National Tricolour at Srinagar in an interview to ET: When did the idea of such a yatra come to you? It all started in August when stone-pelting was on in the Valley. Me and some other young MPs from the party spoke to youth from various parties and began the Bharat Pratham programme with demands which included that the Army should not be withdrawn, there should be no dilution of AFSPA, rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits and improving economic conditions in the state. We covered 20 states. The state government has been fearing yatra could disrupt peace in the valley The yatra has been peaceful everywhere so far. If this apprehension is there in Jammu and Kashmir its because of Article 370 is being misused. The best part of the yatra has been that Muslims have also come forward. When we stopped near Hazaribagh and had tea at a small dhaba, the owner did not take any money from us. He was a Muslim. Why is it that none of your alITS BACK TO lies are participating? Every party has its own ideoloARTICLE 370 gy. All our allies may not agree with our stand on doing away If the yatra will not be with Article 370. They should peaceful in Jammu and understand that its the only anKashmir it will because swer in the state. However, on Article 370 is being corruption we have a joint programme with other NDA parties. misused. The best part of Chief Minister Abdullah has the yatra has been that suggested that you join him Muslims have also come in the formal Republic Day forward to support it. function in Srinagar Let him come and join us at Lal Chowk. We will wait for the chief minister to complete the official function and then join us. Why is the BJYM focusing on issues like Kashmir? The prime minister is not coming out with a clear policy on Kashmir. The country needs an answer. We want to send a political message that this country is concerned about Jammu and Kashmir. Let the state be treated equally so there will be more integration with the rest of the country. BJP has always been critical of dynasty politics. But now with several children of party leaders, including you, joining politics. What do you have to say? I do not use my fathers name (Himachal Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal). About the others, I do not want to comment.

HOISTING FLAG: THAKUR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO A JOSHI

Govt has given in to separatists: BJP

J&K Seals Border To Stop Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha President Anurag Thakur From Entering State To Unfurl Tricolour At Lal Chowk
Our Political Bureau
NEW DELHI

defiant BJP has said that it will go ahead with its Rashtriya Ekta Yatra and attacked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for describing its plans to hoist the National Flag at Srinagars Lal Chowk as part of a divisive agenda. BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley, who spearheaded the attack on the prime minister and the government for clamping down on the partys youth wing, said the Centre and the state government have psychologically surrendered to separatists. The prime minister had said on Saturday that the Republic Day was not an occasion to score political points or promote divisive agendas and made an appeal to all to observe maximum restraint in a sensitive state like Jammu and Kashmir. Rejecting the prime ministers plea, Jaitley said it was a matter of national regret that the prime minister should regard the hoisting of the Tricolour as something which could be divisive or provocative. The state government claims to have sealed all borders of the state. Large scale arrests of BJP workers are being made. Even within the state, movements have been stopped. Trains

BJP workers taken for a ride, literally

Ahmednagar: Police and railway officials here hoodwinked BJP activists headed to Jammu and Kashmir for the Republic Day flag hoisting and shunted their special train back to Karnataka early Sunday morning. The Bengaluru-New Delhi Karnataka Express, had 18 bogies full of Karnataka BJP youth activists. When the train halted at Sarola station it was blacked out and the train's engine attached it to itsrear. Two more bogies with around 150 Railway Protection Force personnel were also attached and around 1.30 am, it started its journey in the reverse direction. It was too late when asleep BJP workers realised that they had been taken for a ride. IANS

TIME TO CELEBRATE: Children at Balurghat in South Dinajpur of West Bengal on Sunday.

carrying BJP youth workers from all over the country are being cancelled and diverted forcibly and BJP youth reaching Jammu and Kashmir are being diverted forcibly to other parts of the states. Jaitley said the state government was creating a situation reminiscent of 1953, when Shyama Prasad Mukherjee entered Jammu & Kashmir. Since when have Jammu, Kathuwa and Sambha become forbidden territories and entry into those areas is prohibited? The sealing of borders of a state to prevent a peaceful political expression is undemocratic and unacceptable. The massive repression undertaken by both the Central Government and the State Government will be counter productive, the BJP leader said. He pointed out that no penal action has been taken against those advocating separatism at a conference in New Delhi two months ago on the ground that claiming segregation of a territory of

India from the Indian Union was part of the right to free speech. In Jammu, the State Government conveyed to BJP that it will be forced to use force in case the party goes ahead with its plan to hoist the National Flag in Srinagars Lal Chowk on Republic Day, an official source said. It has been conveyed to the BJP leadership that the partys Tiranga Yatra is unwelcome in Jammu and Kashmir for the simple reason that it would vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in the state, the source said. It has also been made clear that the government would be compelled to resort to force to keep the marchers outside Jammu and Kashmir, the source added. At a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Thursday, the state government decided that no programme that has the potential of vitiating the peaceful atmosphere in the state will be allowed, an official statement said.