Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani has called upon party men to show commitment towards providing good governance and clean politics.
“If you are in power, give (the people) good governance. If you are out of power, give clean politics,” Mr. Advani said while addressing a gathering organised in connection with the 30th anniversary of the Bharatiya Vichara Kendra here on Sunday.
He said the BJP was confident of providing good governance and uncompromising in its stand against corruption. The BJP leader said the next general elections may take place before 2014 and no party was untouchable for the BJP in forming electoral alliance.
Quoting Deendayal Upadhyaya, he said no party should be untouchable, including the communists. (Mr. Advani’s observations assume significance in view of the Sangh Parivar mouthpiece Kesari mooting an alliance between the BJP and the CPI(M) in Kerala).
He, however, said that communism had disappeared from countries where it took roots. Communism was not going to revive in other countries as claimed by its proponents. One single individual’s determination defeated the communists in West Bengal. It might remain in the reckoning in Kerala for some more time.
Mr. Advani said that those who thought that democracy would not survive in India beyond Nehru as Prime Minister had been proved wrong. This was because Indians tolerated different points of view. Religious tolerance in India was the highest among countries.
Director of the Kendra P. Parameswaran said in his introductory speech that the Western civilisation would not survive for long as it was based on exploitation of nature. Communism as an alternative to capitalism had already failed. Though communist countries had turned capitalist, the capitalist system was also bound to fail.
He said that globalisation was inevitable. However, globalisation should not be identified with Westernisation. Westernisation and neglect of agriculture had caused food shortages, growing economic disparities, and other problems in Kerala.
He said the attempt of certain communities to dominate regionally led to growth of secessionism in Kerala.
Jurist D. Sreedevi, who presided, said that governments as well as the people needed determination to achieve the nation’s goals. Programmes that gave confidence to the youth were not being drawn up.
Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Advanced Legal Studies N.K. Jayakumar spoke. Historian M.G.S. Narayanan was honoured at the function.
