Wednesday, June 15 2005 08:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Haridwar: In an unprecedented attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership, Sangh Parivar affiliate Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) yesterday (Jun 14, 2005) asked its president L K Advani to quit politics over his controversial remarks in Pakistan and called on "wise leaders" to take over party's reins and make it the torch-bearer of Hindutva.

Coming close on the heels of the RSS criticism of Advani's statement on Pakistan founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah and rejection of Akhand Bharat concept, VHP's apex decision-making body, on the first day of the two-day meeting in Haridwar, adopted two special resolutions condemning his week-long visit to Pakistan and the state of politics in India.

"The manner in which Advani insulted India on Pakistani soil and remained adamant on his stand, the only option available to him is to take total sanyas from politics," VHP firebrand secretary general Pravin Togadia told reporters reading out from the resolution adopted at the meeting of VHP's Kendriya Margdarshak Mandal (Central Advisory Board).

A separate resolution asked him to "apologise" to Hindu society for his "betrayal" and retire from politics as a penance.

The resolution on Advani was adopted even as a sizable section of Hindu religious leaders led by Swami Vishveshteertha of Pejawar Math praised his Ram Rath Yatra and favoured that Advani be given another chance and "let off after apology", sources said.

In an apparent reference to sidelined leaders such as Uma Bharti and K N Govindacharya, the resolution said, "Neglected but wise leaders and activists of the party which came to power claiming to protect Hindu interest should overhaul the party."

"They should declare the protection of Hindu interest to be their sole aim and free themselves from the adulterated flag, agenda and leadership and vow to Hinduise polity."

Without naming BJP, the resolution regretted that those who accepted VHP's 40-point Hindu agenda and "reached Rajpath riding on the Ram Rath" also fell prey to the mirage of minority appeasement after coming to power.

The resolution said it was the last warning for "opportunist, power-blind politicians who play shamelessly with Hindu interest treating the party as fiefdom and activists as bonded labourers".

Recalling Advani's visit to Jinnah's mausoleum in Karachi and his comments in the visitors' book, it said, "Advani's statement not only hurt the 85 crore Hindus in India but also its 102 crore population."

The VHP had been consistently opposed to both Advani and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for "diluting Hindutva" and had supported RSS Chief K S Sudarshan's controversial remarks demanding that the duo pave the way for a younger generation leadership in BJP.

Describing secularism as a root cause of 'Jehadi' terrorism, Togadia vowed to uproot it and work for the establishment of a Hindu Rashtra.

He announced that four Dharam Sansads (Religious Parliaments) would be organised across the country to discuss these issues.