Thursday, April 6 2006 14:18 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Rajkot (Gujarat): Senior BJP leader L K Advani today (Apr 06, 2006) marked the start of his five-week 'Bharat Suraksha Yatra' from here attacking the Indo-US nuclear deal, saying it was a surrender to Washington.

"Isn't this India-American nuclear deal surrender? They are putting restrictions on India's nuclearisation," he told a rally before the start of the sixth yatra of his political career.

"Those who think of the country's security, its defence are required to have both longer and short-term visions," he said.

Flanked by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Advani also attacked the ruling Congress over the Volcker report that named the party and former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh as illegal beneficiaries of Iraq's oil-for-food programme.

'Congress tried to save its own skin'

He accused the Congress of having tried to save its own skin from the scandal by securing resignation of Singh from the post in the wake of the report.

"They (Congress) found a scapegoat (Singh). The External Affairs Minister resigned but nothing happened to the Congress, which too was named in the Volcker report," Advani said. "This Congress administration is neck-deep in corruption."

Advani, whose yatra coincides with elections in five states, however, denied the event had any electoral motives.

The former BJP chief and his successor Rajnath Singh, who also began his yatra from Orissa simultaneously, will end their tours on May 10 in Delhi.