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Uma Bharti to reply to notice within 3 days

Last updated on: November 30, 2005 18:23 IST

Suspended Bharatiya Janata Party leader Uma Bharti on Wednesday said she will reply to the party's show cause notice in three days.

Bharti said she will live and die for the saffron party.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, meanwhile, washed its hands off the issue, virtually endorsing her suspension and said it has always given highest priority to discipline and that it does not interfere in issues related to it.

"This is not an issue for the RSS to react. RSS has always given highest priority to discipline. RSS does not interfere in any issue related to discipline," its spokesman Ram Madhav said.

The RSS, which had lobbied in her favour after her suspension last November, has distanced itself from her after she attacked its Joint General Secretary Suresh Soni and charged him with interfering in the party's Madhya Pradesh affairs.

Known for her brilliant oratorial skills, Bharti has been a favourite of the Sangh Parivar for her Hindutva stand and her role in the Ram Janambhoomi movement.

Claiming that she was not working in the party for any posts, Bharti told reporters her battle was an ideological one for upholding democratic values and principles and that the party should take a 'right' stand on the issue.

Describing former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and BJP president Lal Kishenchand Advani as 'father-like figures' to her, Bharti said they should not treat the episode as an 'organisational-legal matter' but, instead, give deeper thought before taking any decision.

The saffron-clad leader, who has embarked on a 'padyatra' to Ayodhya against the party's decision to make Shivraj Singh Chouhan the chief minister, said she sought the blessings of Vajpayee and Advani during the yatra.

Pointing out that individuals are of little importance, Bharti said there is always scope for discussions on ideologies and all must rise above feelings of vengenance to understand issues and solve problems instead of making 'irresponsible' statements.

"It is the RSS that placed its views on ideologies, behaviour, right style of functioning and change-over and I strongly support these," she said.

On whether she believed she can bring about changes in the party that RSS had sought, Bharti said, "I don't know. I am a small-time party worker. Right now, I am reduced to a person who can't (even) carry her party flag."

On party General Secretary Pramod Mahajan's reservations on the use of party's flag in Bharti's 'personal' march, she said, "I have the right to carry it and I have never violated the party's flag, its symbol and the saffron colour."

Ruling out any move to form a new political outfit after her 'Ram-roti padyatra', Bharti claimed it was a non-political march which had been earlier scheduled to start from Karim Nagar in Andhra Pradesh with BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley as its convener.

A meeting had also been held to finalise the programme but Advani, due to his 'fatherly concern' for her ill health, had postponed it, she claimed.

On the show-cause notices issued to her supporters who had stormed out of the legislature party meeting here on November 28, Bharti alleged action had been taken against some leaders who were not even present in Bhopal on that day.

"I don't know how it has happened and the matter should be looked into," she said.

Asked whether her road to Delhi passed through Ayodhya, Bharti said, "All roads in my life pass through Ayodhya."

Maintaining that she would follow the path shown by Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, she said it goes in the right direction.

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