U Anand Kumar/ENS
New Delhi, Jul 16: Going offensive against the BJP for its leader L K Advani’s remark on ‘dalal’ (broker) in politics, Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh on Tuesday hit back saying that it was the BJP which approached his party twice to topple the UPA Government.
Referring to the remark of Advani that the Congress had turned from doing Lal salaam to Dalal salaam, Amar Singh said Advani was resorting to such remarks out of sheer frustration.
He said that Advani made a direct attack on him through this remark and wondered that it was only a matter of months when the BJP leader had changed the impression about him.
Displaying a copy of Advani’s autobiography "My Country, My Life" at a press conference, Amar Singh pointed out that the BJP leader had gifted him an autographed copy of the book carrying his compliments on March 21 this year.
"I was not a dalal at that time. How can I become one within three months", he added. Maintaining that he was obliged to the Advani’s remarks, Amar Singh said "the BJP leader has proved his seniority even in case of ‘dalal salam’ as he was ahead of the Congress in trying to make a deal with the SP".
Replying to a volley of queries on Mukesh Ambani meeting Prime Minister, Amar Singh said:
"He is a part of PM’s Economic Advisory Council and has all the right to meet anyone. He recently met West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Jyoti Basu also.
For industrialisation, industrialists have to meet politicians. So it should not be interpreted in a wrong manner."