BJP-Congress ad war rages in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD, Dec 16 (Agencies):The polling closed in Gujarat Sunday, but the advertisement war between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress raged until the last minute.

BJP rebels used a photograph of an Israeli dance troupe to embarrass the Narendra Modi government.

The photo, showing short skirts and exposed legs of the dancers, formed the backdrop of an advertisement that asked: 'Nari shakti nu aavu apmaan karnar ne mat?' (How can you vote for someone who insults women?) As if this was not enough, there was another advertisement against the BJP that showed its poster boy Modi performing 'aarti' with his shoes on.

On the final day, the BJP put forth an advertisement carrying a photograph of Modi telling the electorate that his time and energy were all for Gujarat and so it will be 'Jeetega Gujarat'.

*** Election Commission officials had lots to explain while the polling was on Sunday.

At several places the erratic functioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs) caused chaos.

This included the polling booth where BJP leader L.K.

Advani was to vote.

In addition, there were several instances of voters complaining that despite having photo identity cards, their names did not figure in the voting list.

*** Modi's voters in Maninagar constituency did not get to see him much during the election campaign as he was taking care of his party in the entire state.

The voters were disappointed that they did not get to listen to enough of his fiery speeches.

Critics promptly interpreted his absence from the constituency as a sign of his arrogance and overconfidence.

He made up for all of this by descending upon the area Sunday.

After voting in Sarkhej constituency, Modi went to the BJP headquarters at Khanpur and then took a round of the constituency, accompanied by a large number of supporters.

*** Sunday's polling began with a major embarrassment for the BJP when one of its candidates was arrested within an hour.

Police took into custody Jayanti Rathwa, candidate from Pavi Jetpur constituency of central Gujarat.

He was charged with illegal possession of weapons, which were seized from three vehicles driven by his supporters.

' Puducherry students paint 1,829 metres long banner on global warming PUDUCHERRY, Dec 16 (Agencies): Three thousand students from different schools and colleges have created a 6,000 feet long banner in Puducherry to draw public attention on global warming during a science exhibition and set a world record.

It took students almost a week to prepare 6,000 feet (1,829 metres) banner that aims an endorsement in the Guinness Book of World Records besides spreading general awareness.

Put on display at the ongoing 34th Jawaharlal Nehru National Science Exhibition here since December 5, the mammoth banner highlights the depression of ozone layer and threats posed by global warming.

Different regional centres had to be set up for completion of the huge banner.

"We are from District Institute of Education and Training.

We came to know about the science and mankind.

This is not about painting for leisure but a serious attempt to highlight science and mankind influencing each other," said Kothai Nayaki, a girl student.

The themes focused in the mega poster have been artistically done with majority of the portion showcasing global warming affecting animals, birds and the nature.

"We are from Teachers Training Institute.

We were drawing on the theme of science and mankind, basically ozone depression and global warming, since they are the major problem in our country.

Hence we should save our Earth," said Kanimani, another student.

The exhibition has been organised by the Department of School Education, Government of Puducherry, in cooperation with the New Delhi-based National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil is expected to visit the exhibition the coming Friday (Dec.21).

Advani sowed seed of terrorism in country, says Congress leader Moily NEW DELHI, Dec 16 (Agencies): On the day Gujarat went for the final phase of voting for the Assembly elections, the Congress party on Sunday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sowed the seed of terrorism in the country by demolishing the Babri Masjid.

"Seed of terrorism was sowed by the BJP under (L K) Advani by the demolition of religious place like the Babri Masjid," senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily told ANI.

"That is how India became vulnerable to international terrorism," he added.

Moily, who is also the chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission, said that most of the terror related incidents like the attacks on the Akshardham temple, Ragunath Temple, Parliament and the hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane took place during the NDA regime led by the BJP.

Commenting on the remarks made by L K Advani that Prime Minister Dr.

Manmohan Singh is a political novice who has no understanding of politics, Moily said that Dr.

Singh is a 'statesman' and thus does not understand Advani's 'narrow and divisive politics'.

Singh will not downgrade himself to Advani's level," he said, adding that the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate only thinks of becoming the Prime Minister of the country.

Singh is a great economist of the world and thinks for the development of the country," Moily added.

Flaying the BJP for comparing Advani with India's first Union Home Minister, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, Moily said that Advani was 'disastrous' as the Home Minister of the country and added that the party played a 'big joke' by declaring Advani as the next Prime Minister, "when there is no vacancy." "Advani called Mohammed Ali Jinnah as 'visionary of secularism', which is a travesty of truth," Moily said, adding that Sardar Patel unified India while Jinnah divided India.

On the issue of Rahul Gandhi actively being involved with the poll campaigning in states like Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, apart from Uttar Pradesh, Moily said that he represents the 'young India' and dynamism.

"He has all the qualities of a national leader.

He has become mature," he added.