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Lage Raho Munnabhai has a new admirer in Lal Krishna Advani.
Speaking at the public dedication ceremony of the newly-built Harisinhji Gohil West Zone Office of Rajkot Municipal Corporation on Monday, the leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha praised the much-acclaimed Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi starrer in no uncertain terms.
"People should understand their responsibilities towards one another, towards society, their country and also towards the place they live in. Only then can you expect a real change," advised Advani.
"Many of you must have seen Lage Raho Munnabhai. It's a good film. I like a particular scene from this movie. A pan-chewing man is in the habit of spitting regularly near his neighbour's apartment while going down the stais. Instead of saying anything, the neighbour always gives him a smile and starts cleaning the soiled area. One day, however, the man realises his folly, says sorry to the flat owner and stops spitting. It's a small incident but there is big lesson for all of us," said Advani amid tumultuous applause.
Advani came to Rajkot after offering prayers at the historic Somnath temple from where he had launched his famous rath ratra on September 25, 1990. Since then he has made it a point to visit Somnath every September 25.
He did not forget to talk about the 1990 rath yatra during his address in Rajkot. "It was one of the most memorable events of my life. The BJP emerged strongly on the Indian political map after the rath yatra. It was a landmark event as it brought about a sea change in Indian politics. People were happy that one particular yatra could bring such huge change. Of course, it's still our dream to build the Ram temple in Ayodhya," he recalled.
Later in the evening, Advani kick-started the BJP's much-trumpeted 'Vande Mataram Gaurav Gan Samaroh', which the saffron party will celebrate till October 2 at the city's Hemu Gadhvi Auditorium.
He also castigated Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the joint statement with Pakistan he made in Havana recently.
"Manmonan Singh made the Havana statement at the cost of national security. He has said that Pakistan is a victim of terrorism. How can he say that? Everyone knows that it is not Pakistan but India which is a victim of terrorism. India had categorically pointed fingers towards Pakistan after the devastating bomb blasts in local trains in Mumbai in which nearly 200 innocent people were killed. Yet, the prime minister seems to be least concerned and makes a joint statement with Pakistan. The BJP will never ever approve of it," he thundered.
"I suspect it's the Congress' old vote bank politics that has made Manomhan Singh act the way he did in Havana. How can you do so when Pakistan is encouraging terrorism and hundreds of Indians are killed by militants in Kashmir and elsewhere?" he said.
Advani did not spare Congress President Sonia Gandhi either. He alleged that only vote bank politics had stopped her and Manmohan Singh from attending the Vande Mataram ceremony to mark the centenary of the national song. He emphasised that regardless of the controversy surrounding the exact date of the centenary, the BJP would continue the celebrations.