Guwahati:Top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Sunday launched a personal attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, calling him the "weakest and most unsuccessful" premier in the country's parliamentary history.

"I have seen 14 prime ministers since the first parliamentary elections and I am sad to say that Manmohan Singh is the weakest and most unsuccessful among them as he is a puppet in the hands of Sonia Gandhi (chairperson of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government)," BJP's prime ministerial candidate said.

Advani was addressing a public rally in Assam's main city of Guwahati as part of the BJP's Sankalp Yatra, a campaign pledging support for the party ahead of next years general elections.

"Manmohan Singh has devalued the office of the prime minister as he is not only weak, but has failed on all fronts while dealing with crucial issues confronting the country," he said.

He said terrorism and inflation were the biggest threat faced by India today and lashed out at the central government for failing to tackle these twin problems.

"There are terrorist attacks almost every other day, but the government is clueless. The common people are at their wits end due to soaring prices of essentials and on the agriculture front we have seen how farmers are committing suicide," he said.

"The Congress party has betrayed the trust of the Aam Admi (common man)."

Advocating the slogan of Hindutva, Advani said the BJP believes in true secularism and want Hindus, like other faiths, to practise the religion without any fear.

"True secularism is all about respecting each others faith where Muslims, Christians and Hindus could practise and espouse their religions without any bias.

"And as Hindus we should not be called communal when we say we would construct Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. This is a pledge and our right to do so," he said.

Appealing to the people of Assam to vote the BJP during the upcoming parliamentary elections, Advani said the twin problems of illegal Bangladeshi infiltration and floods were the biggest challenge for the state.

"The Assamese people are in great danger due to unabated influx of Bangladeshis and unless it is stopped, the indigenous people would soon be overwhelmed by foreigners," he said.

He also announced that an electoral understanding was being worked out between the BJP and Assam's main opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).

Advani is due to address party workers in Shillong Monday afternoon and would leave for New Delhi Tuesday.

 

Source : IANS