Uma Bharati to go on another yatra

    Ayodhya: Former Union Minister and expelled BJP leader Uma Bharati announced five pledges today on the bank of Saryu river here. She will go on another yatra in an attempt to get public support. While addressing the 'Sankalp Sabha' on the final day of 'Ram- Roti Yatra' on the banks of Saryu River in Faizabad, Bharati announced that she would embark on 'Jan Adesh yatra' from February 6 in a bid to mobilise public support before she launches a new political party.

   Uma Barati said party president Rajnath Singh should expel LK Advani from the party for making the 'dangerous' statement that 'I salute Jinnah for single-handedly creating Pakistan' during his visit to Pakistan. 'Jan Adesh Yatra' will cover Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and several other states. The culmination of 'Jan Adesh Yatra' will also be a deciding factor in the decision on future course of action, Bharati said. Bharati said she would take out a 'Jan Adesh' yatra from Feb 6 from Vrindavahini to Chitrakoot. Bharati also gave her five point-pledge which would be her guiding principles - Swabhiman, Suraksha, Swadesh, Suchita and Suraaj. On the conclusion of her 700 km long 'Ram-Roti Yatra' at Faizabad here on January 13, Uma Bharati had said that five 'sankalp' (pledges) would decide "the future course of Indian politics. While addressing a public meeting on the conclusion of her 'Ram- Roti yatra' from Bhopal to Ayodhya, Bharati said, "The five pledges will decide the future course of Indian politics". Walking with bandaged feet, she covered northern Madhya Pradesh and a dozen districts in Uttar Pradesh before reaching Faizabad. Many BJP leaders from Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Bihar, Assam and other states accompanied Bharati in her yatra. She also offered prayers at the makeshift temple in the Ramjanmabhoomi complex and the Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya. She began the 700-km yatra in Madhya Pradesh after she was expelled by the BJP in November last year. According to former Union Minister and yatra in-charge Prahlad Patel the yatra has remained peaceful all along. Bharati's yatra had begun on November 28 last year and had covered northern Madhya Pradesh, about a dozen districts in Uttar Pradesh, including Mahoba, Banda, Sultanpur, Rae Bareli and Faizabad.

   The BJP had expelled suspended leader Uma Bharati from the primary membership of the party on December 5. The decision had come aftermath her remarks and behaviour against the discipline of the party and the language used by her was derogatory. Bharati had walked out of the Madhya Pradesh BJP Legislature Party meeting on November 28 that elected Shivraj Singh Chauhan to succeed Babulal Gaur as the 31st Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. Chauhan had the clear-cut support of 154 legislators as compared to 17 MLAs who walked out of the meeting with Uma Bharati. Bharati had then announced to go on a protest march to Ayodhya. Following this the BJP took strong step against party's rebel leaders, and suspend six Uma Bharati loyalists indulged in incidents of violence in Bhopal. Former union minister Prahlad Patel was among those suspended. The others are Mahendra Singh Yadav, Shailendra Sharma, Shiv Shankar Pateria and Shaitan Singh. On being asked a question on Uma's padyatra, BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan had clarified that it is not a yatra that has been organised by the party and should be seen as a private padyatra. On the change of BJP presidentship by Rajnath Singh, Bharati had made it clear that she would not like to return to the BJP. Meanwhile, Uma Bharati is likely to announce the formation of a new political party on completion of her 'Ram-Roti Yatra'.

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