AHMEDABAD/ NEW DELHI, 1 December 2002 — Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani yesterday launched the Hindu extremist Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) election campaign in the western state of Gujarat, contending that the state’s “pride cannot be dented” by criticism of the manner in which it handled the communal violence that erupted earlier this year.

“Ever since the Godhra incident, the people of Gujarat are being projected before the whole world as murderers.

But let me tell you, Gujarat’s pride cannot be dented,” Advani said at a public meeting at Bhuj, the principal city of Kutch that was devastated by an earthquake last year.

Advani defended Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s performance during the communal violence and hit out at state Congress party President Shankersinh Vaghela for defaming Modi and Gujarat in India and abroad.

“Baseless allegations were leveled and Modi had to bear the brunt of those false charges,” Advani contended.

Seven other senior BJP leaders addressed close to 20 meetings across the state yesterday, two weeks before the polls on Dec. 12.

Among them were BJP President Venkaih Naidu, General Secretary Arun Jaitley, Human Resources Development Minister M.M. Joshi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj and Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had said that the Godhra incident should not be raised during the poll campaign.

BJP leaders contend that they have no option but to do so to rebut the accusations being made against them by the opposition Congress.

“The prime minister’s views should be respected by all parties. I agree with him that Godhra should not be made an election issue, but since the opposition has been painting us as the devil, we have to give them a befitting reply,” one of the ministers told reporters at Rajkot.

Sushma Swaraj said the BJP would intensify its campaign in the coastal state with a visit from the prime minister next week.

Our Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will visit Gujarat on Dec. 6 and 7,” Sushma said.

Modi, while addressing a function to mark the conclusion of his “gaurav yatra” or pride rally in the state capital of Gandhinagar, said: “I can still hear the screams of children and women (who were burnt alive in the Godhra torching).”

“I am not seeking your votes on the issue, but I cannot forget the incident,” Modi held.

The Congress criticized the BJP for referring to the Godhra incident.

“They are trying to find an excuse to raise the Godhra issue. They know they have nothing to show for their performance that they had said would be their election issue,” said Congress General Secretary Hasmukh Patel.

The electoral battle for Gujarat is vital for the BJP as it has suffered a string of losses to the Congress in state elections in the past 18 months.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi is to campaign in the state next week.

An opinion poll released yesterday said Congress would win 95-100 seats in the state assembly, while the BJP would get 80-85 seats.

The survey, for the weekly Outlook magazine, said that polarization along religious lines among Hindus would not be a factor in the election, as 83 percent of the 5,859 people questioned said the performance of the state government rather than religious sentiment would decide which party they would vote for.

Unemployment, drinking-water shortages and rising prices were the issues that the respondents were most concerned about.