Party leaders stopped at airport at centre’s behest, says BJP
By IANSMonday, January 24, 2011
NEW DELHI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tuesday alleged that its three senior leaders were prevented from moving out of Jammu airport to join the Rashtriya Ekta Yatra of the party’s youth wing, at the behest of the central government.
“Our three leaders cannot enter the city (Jammu). Leaders of opposition of the two houses (of parliament) are there. It is an unfortunate thing to take place in independent India. BJP condemns rampant use of state power, BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said here.
The three are Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, and party general secretary Ananth Kumar.
Prasad alleged the central government and the Congress were behind the decision to stop his party leaders at the airport.
“It is our allegation that all this is happening because of government of India and Congress party,” he said, adding that Congress party was a partner in the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the march by the party’s Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) was in no way a confrontation with the government or political parties.
“If there is a confrontation, it is with separatists who are opposing the march,” Prasad said.
The BJYM has declared it will hoist the national tricolour in Srinagar on the Republic Day (Jan 26) at the culmination of its march which started Jan 12 from Kolkata.
The BJP has planned a public meeting in Jammu to coincide with the march.
