NASHIK, MAY 14: Union Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani today said that the ban on the LTTE had been extended by two years. He also gave a clean chit to deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, Chhagan Bhujbal, stating that the allegations made by BJP and Shiv Sena leaders that Bhujbal's residence had become a den of ISI agents, were baseless.Talking to reporters here today, Advani said that the ban on the LTTE expired yesterday and the government had extended it, indicating that the BJP-led government at the Centre was firm on the issue. Answering a question, Advani said that there was no truth in the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra legislative council, Nitin Gadkari (BJP), and his counterpart in the assembly Narayan Rane (Shiv Sena) that Bhujbal's bungalow was swarming with ISI agents. He said that the complaints were inquired into and were found baseless. It may be recalled that Gadkari and Rane had claimed that they had concrete proof of ISI agents visiting Bhujbal's residence and that they had handed over the evidence to Advani for an inquiry.Advani, however, said that the activities of the ISI had increased over the past three years across the country. Speaking on the attacks on Christians he said that the incidents were blown out of proportions and the opposition was using it as a weapon to embarrass the government. He pointed out that the incidents probed by the national minorities commission at Agra, Mathura and other places revealed that they were cases of ordinary crimes and not a planned attack by Hindus on Christians. He said that the BJP led coalition government at the centre was committed to the safety and security of minorities.He, however, pleaded ignorance to the statement made by the party's spokesman Venkaiah Naidu yesterday that the internet was being used by some vested interests to blow up such incidents to get funds from foreign countries. He also pleaded ignorance over his statement in the parliament that a Kashmiri terrorist organisation "Lashkar-E-Toiba" had base in several places including Aurangabad.He claimed that the Congress seemed to have given up efforts to topple the Vajpayee government, perhaps, convinced that it was a futile exercise. He said that the Congress had attempted to divide the BJP and the government; the BJP and its allies; and the BJP and the RSS; through disinformation campaign, but could not succeed. Advani said that the BJP did not want to be in power only because of the TINA (there is no alternative) factor, but wanted to assume office on the basis of its excellent track record.
