<p>A special judge hearing the Babri Masjid demolition case against senior BJP leaders, including L K Advani, has moved the Supreme Court seeking more time to conclude the trial in the case.</p>

<p>In a letter to the court in May, Special Judge SK Yadav conveyed that he is set to retire on September 30 this year.</p>

<p>He submitted that he has been hearing the case for the last two years on a daily basis and it will take another six months to conclude it.</p>

<p>The matter came up on Monday before a two-judge bench headed by Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman, which asked the Uttar Pradesh government to apprise it of the rules and regulations to be followed in case a trial court judge is retiring and the mechanism for an extension.</p>

<p>The bench posted the matter for hearing to July 19.</p>

<p>In April 2017, the apex court had asked the special judge to complete the trial in two years.</p>

<p>Yadav is hearing the case against senior BJP leaders -- Advani, Kalyan Singh and Murli Manohar Joshi -- in connection with the demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.</p>


A special judge hearing the Babri Masjid demolition case against senior BJP leaders, including L K Advani, has moved the Supreme Court seeking more time to conclude the trial in the case.

A special judge hearing the Babri Masjid demolition case against senior BJP leaders, including L K Advani, has moved the Supreme Court seeking more time to conclude the trial in the case. In a letter to the court in May, Special Judge SK Yadav conveyed that he is set to retire on September 30 this year. He submitted that he has been hearing the case for the last two years on a daily basis and it will take another six months to conclude it. The matter came up on Monday before a two-judge bench headed by Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman, which asked the Uttar Pradesh government to apprise it of the rules and regulations to be followed in case a trial court judge is retiring and the mechanism for an extension. The bench posted the matter for hearing to July 19. In April 2017, the apex court had asked the special judge to complete the trial in two years. Yadav is hearing the case against senior BJP leaders -- Advani, Kalyan Singh and Murli Manohar Joshi -- in connection with the demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992.

Babri Masjid demolition case: Special judge moves Supreme Court seeking more time to conclude trial

Rally roster for top leaders for April 10, 2019. Watch more to know.

India Election Watch: Rally roster for top leaders for April 10, 2019

<p>On the 39th foundation day of the Bharatiya Janata Party Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence that its workers would be working day and night to ensure that the party and its allies are "blessed" by people in the Lok Sabha polls.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his tweets, he said the BJP was born with an unwavering commitment to serve society and take the nation to new heights, and that it has become India's preferred party.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The BJP stands tall due to its democratic ethos and patriotic zeal. This is a party that is always on the ground, at the forefront of helping fellow Indians. Our development work has endeared the party to all sections of society, across the length and breadth of India," Modi said.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The <a href="https://twitter.com/BJP4India?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BJP4India</a> stands tall due to it’s democratic ethos and patriotic zeal. This is a Party that is always on the ground, at the forefront of helping fellow Indians. Our development work has endeared the Party to all sections of society, across the length and breadth of India.</p>
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1114361434165645313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>"I am confident that the entire family of BJP Karyakartas would be working day and night to ensure that our party and our allies are blessed yet again by the people of India. In the last 5 years, lots have been done and we want to do much more for the country," he added.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I am confident that the entire family of <a href="https://twitter.com/BJP4India?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BJP4India</a> Karyakartas would be working day and night to ensure that our Party and our allies are blessed yet again by the people of India. In the last 5 years lots has been done and we want to do much more for the country.</p>
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1114361695781183489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>On the occasion, BJP president Amit Shah called upon party workers to put in an "untiring effort" to build a new India under Modi.</p>

<p>Modi also put out a short video featuring speeches of party's founders, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani, besides those of him and Shah.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">39 years ago on this day, <a href="https://twitter.com/BJP4India?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BJP4India</a> was born with an unwavering commitment to serve society and take the nation to new heights. Thanks to the efforts of our Karyakartas, BJP has become India’s preferred party. Greetings to the BJP family on the Party’s Foundation Day. <a href="https://t.co/fBHp3fBQ2a">pic.twitter.com/fBHp3fBQ2a</a></p>
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1114361086139088896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>The BJP was founded in 1980 by leaders of the erstwhile Jana Sangh, which had merged in 1977 with Janata Party - an amalgam of several anti-Congress parties.</p>

<p>In the first Lok Sabha polls it fought in 1984, the BJP won only two seats but has since gone from strength to strength, winning a majority of seats for the first time in 2014.</p>


On the 39th foundation day of the Bharatiya Janata Party Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence that its workers would be working day and night to ensure that the party and its allies are "blessed" by people in the Lok Sabha polls.

On the 39th foundation day of the Bharatiya Janata Party Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence that its workers would be working day and night to ensure that the party and its allies are "blessed" by people in the Lok Sabha polls. In his tweets, he said the BJP was born with an unwavering commitment to serve society and take the nation to new heights, and that it has become India's preferred party. "The BJP stands tall due to its democratic ethos and patriotic zeal. This is a party that is always on the ground, at the forefront of helping fellow Indians. Our development work has endeared the party to all sections of society, across the length and breadth of India," Modi said. The @BJP4India stands tall due to it’s democratic ethos and patriotic zeal. This is a Party that is always on the ground, at the forefront of helping fellow Indians. Our development work has endeared the Party to all sections of society, across the length and breadth of India. — Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 6, 2019 × "I am confident that the entire family of BJP Karyakartas would be working day and night to ensure that our party and our allies are blessed yet again by the people of India. In the last 5 years, lots have been done and we want to do much more for the country," he added. I am confident that the entire family of @BJP4India Karyakartas would be working day and night to ensure that our Party and our allies are blessed yet again by the people of India. In the last 5 years lots has been done and we want to do much more for the country. — Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 6, 2019 × On the occasion, BJP president Amit Shah called upon party workers to put in an "untiring effort" to build a new India under Modi. Modi also put out a short video featuring speeches of party's founders, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani, besides those of him and Shah. 39 years ago on this day, @BJP4India was born with an unwavering commitment to serve society and take the nation to new heights. Thanks to the efforts of our Karyakartas, BJP has become India’s preferred party. Greetings to the BJP family on the Party’s Foundation Day. pic.twitter.com/fBHp3fBQ2a — Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 6, 2019 × The BJP was founded in 1980 by leaders of the erstwhile Jana Sangh, which had merged in 1977 with Janata Party - an amalgam of several anti-Congress parties. In the first Lok Sabha polls it fought in 1984, the BJP won only two seats but has since gone from strength to strength, winning a majority of seats for the first time in 2014.

In last 5 years, lots have been done, want to do much more for the country: Modi

<p>Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah filed his nomination papers on Saturday for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat.</p>

<p>Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani accompanied Shah.</p>

<p>The BJP chief submitted his nomination form to the Gandhinagar district collector and returning officer S K Langa.</p>

<p>BJP president Amit Shah Saturday held a massive roadshow here before filing his nomination for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency.</p>

<p>Lakhs of people greeted Shah on the four-km route from where his road show passed.</p>

<p>Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Piyush Goyal, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel accompanied Shah in an open vehicle during the road show that started from Sardar Patel statue in Naranpura area in Ahmedabad.</p>

<p>BJP workers and people thronged the street to greet Shah, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election for the first time. It was a massive show of strength for the BJP, which aims to retain all the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat it had won in 2014.</p>

<p>The roadshow ended at Prabhat Chowk area of Ghatlodia, after which Shah left for Gandhinagar to file the nomination papers.</p>


Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah filed his nomination papers on Saturday for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani accompanied Shah.

Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah filed his nomination papers on Saturday for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani accompanied Shah. The BJP chief submitted his nomination form to the Gandhinagar district collector and returning officer S K Langa. BJP president Amit Shah Saturday held a massive roadshow here before filing his nomination for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. Lakhs of people greeted Shah on the four-km route from where his road show passed. Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Piyush Goyal, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel accompanied Shah in an open vehicle during the road show that started from Sardar Patel statue in Naranpura area in Ahmedabad. BJP workers and people thronged the street to greet Shah, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election for the first time. It was a massive show of strength for the BJP, which aims to retain all the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat it had won in 2014. The roadshow ended at Prabhat Chowk area of Ghatlodia, after which Shah left for Gandhinagar to file the nomination papers.

BJP president Amit Shah files nomination from Gandhinagar seat

<p>After the May 2014 victory, the Bharatiya Janata Party under the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo decided to bench its newly elected MPs of seventy years and above. None was given a ministerial berth, and the tallest among them were designated as ‘mentors’. That the so-called Margdarshak Mandal of which these veteran leaders were made members, ended up a showpiece, should not have surprised anyone, because it was an informal arrangement to register a generational shift within the party.</p>

<p>That shift has now been formalised with ticket distribution for the 2019 general elections. If in 2014, the senior founding members of the party contested elections, this time around they have been kept out of the electoral fray.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
LK Advani, MM Joshi, Kalraj Mishra, Shanta Kumar and Karia Munda are only three of such names that have been ‘persuaded’ to not contest. The decision is in keeping with the party’s strategy of pushing up new faces and preparing them for a longer inning in active politics as parliamentarians. It also signals curtains for the veterans who formed the backbone of the party in its earlier, formative stages. While the BJP leadership of the day has stated that these seniors had themselves expressed their desire to keep away from the electoral fray, it is obvious that some of them have not been happy with their exclusion.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Yet, they have little leverage in today’s BJP to cause the party any real harm.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There are those who had seen the writing on the wall earlier on and rebelled. Yashwant Sinha is prominent among them. After being left out of the ministry in 2014 and realising months later that there was no scope of rehabilitation, he began to speak bitterly against the present leadership, including Prime Minister Modi. That his son Jayant Sinha was taken in as a minister and given charge of important portfolios, did not work as an emollient on his wounds.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It would be erroneous to judge the decision of keeping the veterans out as a sign of ‘ingratitude’. With the change in time, the old has to make way for the new. it would have added to the stature of these veteran leaders had they themselves taken the initiative and declared their non-availability, and pledged to work whole-heartedly for the newer crop of leaders. Instead, they sulked and revolted. A few others, though not seventy-five plus of age, cast their lot with the seniors and regularly took potshots at the Prime Minister and Amit Shah. One such name is Shatrughan Sinha who is now firmly in the opposition camp and is slated to contest against senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad from the Patna Sahib seat in Bihar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Advani case is especially interesting. He has represented the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat and won handsomely from there. It is an open secret that Amit Shah had played a stellar role in Advani’s successful bids from there, so much so that, had the BJP veteran not stepped in the constituency, he would have still won. Now, Shah will himself contest from the same seat that he had managed with aplomb for Advani. Amit Shah’s inclusion in the list of candidates has come as no surprise since it had been anticipated that ever since he became a Rajya Sabha member, he would seek to make it to the so-called lower House.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There was a time when Advani, along with Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had the final say in ticket distribution in the BJP. It is an indication of changed circumstances that, let alone having a say in candidate selection, Advani could not get a ticket for himself. it is truly a political sunset for him, because, even as the most prominent name in the Margdarshak Mandal, he has little role to play; indeed, the Mandal itself is a decorative item.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Joshi too has come to the end of his political journey. In 2014, he was displaced from Varanasi and packed off to Kanpur. He won from the latter seat by riding the Modi wave. The denial of a ticket to him had to do with his age, but the decision was also taken on the winnability factor. Joshi was not seen as a winnable candidate from the constituency — one, because the popular feedback in the region went against him, and two, because the BJP was up against the formidable SP-BSP alliance.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With the purge of veterans, the BJP is hoping to kill two birds with one stone. Stem anti-incumbency and project a fresh look for the party. Yashwant Sinha had sarcastically remarked that the party’s new leadership considered those above 75 years of age as “brain dead”. It remains to be seen whether the BJP’s new move turns out to be brainy.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<br />
<em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


After the May 2014 victory, the Bharatiya Janata Party under the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo decided to bench its newly elected MPs of seventy years and above. None was given a ministerial berth, and the tallest among them were designated as ‘mentors’.

After the May 2014 victory, the Bharatiya Janata Party under the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo decided to bench its newly elected MPs of seventy years and above. None was given a ministerial berth, and the tallest among them were designated as ‘mentors’. That the so-called Margdarshak Mandal of which these veteran leaders were made members, ended up a showpiece, should not have surprised anyone, because it was an informal arrangement to register a generational shift within the party. That shift has now been formalised with ticket distribution for the 2019 general elections. If in 2014, the senior founding members of the party contested elections, this time around they have been kept out of the electoral fray. LK Advani, MM Joshi, Kalraj Mishra, Shanta Kumar and Karia Munda are only three of such names that have been ‘persuaded’ to not contest. The decision is in keeping with the party’s strategy of pushing up new faces and preparing them for a longer inning in active politics as parliamentarians. It also signals curtains for the veterans who formed the backbone of the party in its earlier, formative stages. While the BJP leadership of the day has stated that these seniors had themselves expressed their desire to keep away from the electoral fray, it is obvious that some of them have not been happy with their exclusion. Yet, they have little leverage in today’s BJP to cause the party any real harm. There are those who had seen the writing on the wall earlier on and rebelled. Yashwant Sinha is prominent among them. After being left out of the ministry in 2014 and realising months later that there was no scope of rehabilitation, he began to speak bitterly against the present leadership, including Prime Minister Modi. That his son Jayant Sinha was taken in as a minister and given charge of important portfolios, did not work as an emollient on his wounds. It would be erroneous to judge the decision of keeping the veterans out as a sign of ‘ingratitude’. With the change in time, the old has to make way for the new. it would have added to the stature of these veteran leaders had they themselves taken the initiative and declared their non-availability, and pledged to work whole-heartedly for the newer crop of leaders. Instead, they sulked and revolted. A few others, though not seventy-five plus of age, cast their lot with the seniors and regularly took potshots at the Prime Minister and Amit Shah. One such name is Shatrughan Sinha who is now firmly in the opposition camp and is slated to contest against senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad from the Patna Sahib seat in Bihar. The Advani case is especially interesting. He has represented the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat and won handsomely from there. It is an open secret that Amit Shah had played a stellar role in Advani’s successful bids from there, so much so that, had the BJP veteran not stepped in the constituency, he would have still won. Now, Shah will himself contest from the same seat that he had managed with aplomb for Advani. Amit Shah’s inclusion in the list of candidates has come as no surprise since it had been anticipated that ever since he became a Rajya Sabha member, he would seek to make it to the so-called lower House. There was a time when Advani, along with Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had the final say in ticket distribution in the BJP. It is an indication of changed circumstances that, let alone having a say in candidate selection, Advani could not get a ticket for himself. it is truly a political sunset for him, because, even as the most prominent name in the Margdarshak Mandal, he has little role to play; indeed, the Mandal itself is a decorative item. Joshi too has come to the end of his political journey. In 2014, he was displaced from Varanasi and packed off to Kanpur. He won from the latter seat by riding the Modi wave. The denial of a ticket to him had to do with his age, but the decision was also taken on the winnability factor. Joshi was not seen as a winnable candidate from the constituency — one, because the popular feedback in the region went against him, and two, because the BJP was up against the formidable SP-BSP alliance. With the purge of veterans, the BJP is hoping to kill two birds with one stone. Stem anti-incumbency and project a fresh look for the party. Yashwant Sinha had sarcastically remarked that the party’s new leadership considered those above 75 years of age as “brain dead”. It remains to be seen whether the BJP’s new move turns out to be brainy. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi's exit from electoral fray: The old has to make way for the new

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday wished BJP veteran L K Advani on his birthday, saying his contribution towards nation building is monumental.</p>

<p>Advani, who&nbsp;was born on this day in 1927 in Karachi,&nbsp;turned 91 today.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Best wishes to Shri LK Advani Ji on his birthday. Advani Ji’s contribution towards India’s development is monumental. His ministerial tenures are applauded for futuristic decision making and people-friendly policies. His wisdom is admired across the political spectrum.</p>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1060365191722938368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Advani Ji's contribution towards India's development is monumental. His ministerial tenures are applauded for futuristic decision making and people-friendly policies. His wisdom is admired across the political spectrum," the prime minister wrote on Twitter.</p>

<p>He also said the party veteran's impact on Indian politics is immense.</p>

<p>"Selflessly and diligently, he built the @BJP4India and wonderfully mentored Karyakartas (workers)," he said in another tweet.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Shri LK Advani Ji’s impact on Indian politics is immense. Selflessly and diligently, he built the <a href="https://twitter.com/BJP4India?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BJP4India</a> and wonderfully mentored Karyakartas.<br />
<br />
I pray for the good health and long life of our beloved Advani Ji.</p>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1060365354482884608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday wished BJP veteran L K Advani on his birthday, saying his contribution towards nation building is monumental. Advani, who was born on this day in 1927 in Karachi, turned 91 today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday wished BJP veteran L K Advani on his birthday, saying his contribution towards nation building is monumental. Advani, who was born on this day in 1927 in Karachi, turned 91 today. Best wishes to Shri LK Advani Ji on his birthday. Advani Ji’s contribution towards India’s development is monumental. His ministerial tenures are applauded for futuristic decision making and people-friendly policies. His wisdom is admired across the political spectrum. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 8, 2018 × "Advani Ji's contribution towards India's development is monumental. His ministerial tenures are applauded for futuristic decision making and people-friendly policies. His wisdom is admired across the political spectrum," the prime minister wrote on Twitter. He also said the party veteran's impact on Indian politics is immense. "Selflessly and diligently, he built the @BJP4India and wonderfully mentored Karyakartas (workers)," he said in another tweet. Shri LK Advani Ji’s impact on Indian politics is immense. Selflessly and diligently, he built the @BJP4India and wonderfully mentored Karyakartas. I pray for the good health and long life of our beloved Advani Ji. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 8, 2018 ×

PM greets Advani on birthday, says his contribution towards nation building monumental

<p>BJP veteran L K Advani on Friday described former president Pranab Mukherjee's visit to the RSS headquarters and his "illuminating exposition of the noble idea and ideals of Indian nationalism" as a "significant event in our country's contemporary history".</p>

<p>Advani lauded Mukherjee, who has had decades of association with the Congress, for accepting the invitation of the Hindutva organisation and its chief Mohan Bhagwat for inviting him, saying there was significant concord and resonance in the views expressed by both of them.&nbsp&nbsp &nbsp</p>

<p>As a lifelong 'swayamsevak' of the RSS, the BJP veteran said he believed that Mukherjee and Bhagwat have truly set a praiseworthy example of dialogue transcending ideological affiliations and differences.&nbsp</p>

<p>"Both of them highlighted the essential unity of India, which accepts and respects all diversities, including the pluralism of faiths," he said in a statement.</p>

<p>Advani, who has served as the BJP president for the longest period, expressed his happiness over the RSS under Bhagwat expanding and intensifying its efforts to reach out to various sections of the nation in the spirit of dialogue.</p>

<p>"Such conversations, conducted in the spirit of openness and mutual respect, will surely help in creating a much-needed atmosphere of tolerance, harmony and cooperation to build an India of our common dreams," he said.</p>

<p>Praising Mukherjee, Advani said he showed grace and goodwill in accepting the RSS invite as he recalled his long association with him.</p>

<p>"His own reflective nature, combined with his long and varied experience in public life, have made him a statesman who strongly believes in the necessity of dialogue and cooperation among people of various ideological and political backgrounds," he said of Mukherjee.</p>

<p>The former president's decision to accept the RSS invite to address its members had drawn a lot of flak from several Congress leaders and other rivals of the BJP, which is affiliated to the RSS.&nbsp</p>

<p>However, Mukherjee's speech drew praise from Congress leaders as well as from those associated with the RSS. He warned that hatred and intolerance diluted national identity and asserted that nationalism was not bound by race or religion while calling for dialogue to reconcile differences.</p>


Advani lauded Mukherjee, who has had decades of association with the Congress, for accepting the invitation of the Hindutva organisation

BJP veteran L K Advani on Friday described former president Pranab Mukherjee's visit to the RSS headquarters and his "illuminating exposition of the noble idea and ideals of Indian nationalism" as a "significant event in our country's contemporary history". Advani lauded Mukherjee, who has had decades of association with the Congress, for accepting the invitation of the Hindutva organisation and its chief Mohan Bhagwat for inviting him, saying there was significant concord and resonance in the views expressed by both of them. As a lifelong 'swayamsevak' of the RSS, the BJP veteran said he believed that Mukherjee and Bhagwat have truly set a praiseworthy example of dialogue transcending ideological affiliations and differences. "Both of them highlighted the essential unity of India, which accepts and respects all diversities, including the pluralism of faiths," he said in a statement. Advani, who has served as the BJP president for the longest period, expressed his happiness over the RSS under Bhagwat expanding and intensifying its efforts to reach out to various sections of the nation in the spirit of dialogue. "Such conversations, conducted in the spirit of openness and mutual respect, will surely help in creating a much-needed atmosphere of tolerance, harmony and cooperation to build an India of our common dreams," he said. Praising Mukherjee, Advani said he showed grace and goodwill in accepting the RSS invite as he recalled his long association with him. "His own reflective nature, combined with his long and varied experience in public life, have made him a statesman who strongly believes in the necessity of dialogue and cooperation among people of various ideological and political backgrounds," he said of Mukherjee. The former president's decision to accept the RSS invite to address its members had drawn a lot of flak from several Congress leaders and other rivals of the BJP, which is affiliated to the RSS. However, Mukherjee's speech drew praise from Congress leaders as well as from those associated with the RSS. He warned that hatred and intolerance diluted national identity and asserted that nationalism was not bound by race or religion while calling for dialogue to reconcile differences.

Pranab's visit to RSS, his speech a significant event in our history: Advani

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