Hubli: Describing the court verdict discharging her from a decade old criminal case as a ''landmark verdict", former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti today (Sep 6, 2004) lashed out at the Congress dubbing it "communal" and accused it of dividing Hindus and Muslims using the National Flag.

Addressing a press conference soon after her release a beaming Bharti said, "I consider the verdict of the court as victory to nationalism."

She said with this order, it has been proved that the cases filed against her were false and hoisting of the tricolour was not a crime.

Mounting a virulent attack on Congress President Sonia Gandhi, she charged that it was at her instance that the decade-old case was reopened by the Congress led coalition Government in Karnataka.

"By this court order, Sonia Gandhi should learn lessons that Italian mafia cannot go on in this country," she said and termed the order as "victory... for nationalism over communalism of Congress."

Continuing her tirade against Congress, Bharti charged that the party was politicising the National Flag issue and declared she would launch her Tirang Yatra, for which the party would decide a schedule at the national office bearers meeting slated in Bangalore on September 8.

She said, "We will invite Sonia Gandhi to hoist National Flag in the BJP party office in New Delhi and if she accepts the invitation, no cases would be booked against her."

Bharti said, by re-opening the case against her, Sonia Gandhi made Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh a "scapegoat".

When Bharti was released from judicial custody from the Dharwad Agricultural University guest house at 16:00 hours, several BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) activists, majority of them from Madhya Pradesh accorded her a tumultuous welcome offering sweets and flowers.

The party-men burst crackers to celebrate her release.

Bharti drove to Hubli and later addressed a rally.

She would leave for Udupi, to offer worship at Sri Krishna Temple and return to Bangalore to attend the national office bearers meeting of BJP.