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Onkar Singh in New Delhi
Bharatiya Janata Party chief spokesman Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had only postponed the 'Gaurav Yatra' and not cancelled it.
When asked if the decision to postpone the yatra was taken following the intervention of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his deputy Lal Kishenchand Advani, he said: "The yatra was postponed by the state BJP unit in consultations with the central leadership. Vajpayeeji, Advaniji and party president Venkaiah Naidu were consulted before taking a decision."
Asked if the recent comments by the National Human Rights Commission about the possibility of the yatra inflaming communal passions all over again had anything to do with the postponement, Jaitley said the party felt that it should not give a handle to the opposition parties by going ahead with the yatra at this juncture.
He said the yatra was a legitimate political activity and it was planned with a positive frame of mind. "Political activities cannot be curbed for a long period of time. [But for now] we have decided to give priority to the law and order situation," he said.
When asked to comment on a news report that passengers in the two bogies of Sabarmati Express that were burnt on February 27 in Godhra were carrying inflammable material with them, Jaitley said that he had seen the report but would not like to comment.
"It would not be proper for a political party to comment on the report. Gujarat police is investigating the matter. They alone can tell us what happened," he said.
When a reporter asked him if the party had selected its vice-presidential candidate, Jaitley said the process of consultations had begun. "As and when a decision is taken, I would let you know," he said.
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