Ahmedabad: Terming last year's communal riots in Gujarat as an 'aberration', Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on September 28 asserted that the state would not allow its reputation to be sullied by the 'propaganda' unleashed by forces at home and abroad against it.

"I feel as if Gujarat is doing all this (Vibrant Gujarat celebrations) to send out a deliberate message to the rest of the world. I say, it is a deliberate message because it is, among other things, meant to counter the sustained propaganda and by extension, against India -- being conducted at home and abroad," Advani said while delivering the inaugural speech at the "Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors' Summit".

Urging investors not to be swayed by the last year's propaganda against Gujarat, Advani said the state would learn the right lessons and move ahead.

"Do not believe in and do not be swayed by all that you have been reading about Gujarat in the past year or so. Yes, a sad and unfortunate episode took place. But it was an aberration," he said.

"Gujarat will learn the right lessons from it and will move ahead," he said adding, the state will not let the "deliberate, motivated and continuing" attempts to sully its image, tar its reputation and hurt its self- respect to succeed.

Following the riots, questions are being raised about the country being secular and this line of questioning is damaging not just the state but the country as well, he said.

"I consider it as an insult to me, to India and my understanding of India," he said.

On the Indo-Pakistan relationship, Advani said he had told President Pervez Musharraf at the time of Agra visit that BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) government offered the best opportunity for resolving outstanding issues.

With the government there in Delhi, chances of changing the situation are optimum. There will not be a chance again, do not miss it, Advani added.

PTI