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PM urged to stop rath yatra

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JULY 1. Former Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party chief, Ram Vilas Paswan, today demanded that the Prime Minister stop the proposed Rath Yatra in Gujarat and reiterated that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad must be banned.

"What is this Gujarat Gaurav Yatra (as the Rath Yatra) about? What is the achievement of the Gujarat Government, except bringing shame due to recent riots?

Even the Prime Minister had said the communal riots were a black spot,'' Mr. Paswan told a press conference.

To focus attention on the tardy relief and rehabilitation work and partisan attitude of the Gujarat Government towards minorities he would observe a12-hour fast tomorrow at Ahmedabad, Mr. Paswan said. Later, he would tour different parts of the State.

Accusing the Narendra Modi Government of trying to stoke communal trouble in the State to reap electoral benefit, Mr. Paswan said if the Government decided to go in for early polls before the situation returned to normal, then all secular parties must boycott the elections.

The Gujarat Assembly elections, he said, could be held either after an all-party delegation or independent observers certified that complete normality has been restored.

On the VHP's turn around on the Ayodhya issue, he said the organisation should be banned since it was going against the established norm.

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