Date:05/06/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/06/05/stories/2006060504951400.htm

National

`Save Doda' campaign from June 7: BJP

Special Correspondent

Every day satyagrahis from different States will court arrest in Jammu

Failure to curb terrorism in Jammu will harm national interest

Ethnic cleansing of Hindus taking place as part of ISI conspiracy

HYDERABAD: The Bharatiya Janata Party will launch the `Save Doda, Save Nation' satyagraha programme from June 7 to 15.

Every day functionaries from various States will lead batches of satyagrahis to Jammu for courting arrest, party leader M. Venkaiah Naidu told a press conference here on Sunday.

The campaign would draw the United Progressive Alliance Government's attention to the "gravity of the situation" in Jammu, where "ethnic cleansing" of Hindus was taking place systematically as part of a conspiracy by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence. This was happening for lack of a coherent policy, he said. In spite of repeated pleas that failure to check terrorism in the Jammu region would prove counter-productive and damage the national interest, the Centre and the Congress-led coalition in the State lacked the will to avert the impending disaster, migration of Hindus and "promotion of the cause of Pakistan." The BJP campaign would arouse the public opinion.

Mr. Naidu said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement that there was need to evolve a consensus on self-rule and autonomy for the State within the ambit of the Indian Constitution and the Chief Minister's "outrageous suggestion" on shared sovereignty sent wrong signals and encouraged secession.

On the office-of-profit controversy, he urged the Election Commission to take action on all pending petitions.