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Illegal migrants will be thrown out: Vajpayee

A Special Correspondent

Former prime minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee says all illegal immigrants would be thrown out of the country if the saffron party is voted to power at the Centre.

Castigating the Assam tribunal entrusted with the task of identifying illegal immigrants, Vajpayee said the task could not be accomplished for several reasons, including the 'lack of will' on the state government's part.

As for the Ayodhya issue, Vajpayee quoted Imam Maulana Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al Subhait of Mecca's Kaaba mosque, who said that Muslims should not claim the Babri mosque site if a temple existed there in the past. He also asked Muslims to shun violence over the issue.

The BJP leader felt that Muslims now favoured an amicable solution to the problem. ''There is a sea change in their outlook since 1992, when the mosque was demolished,'' he said.

Referring to Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's suggestion that a national monument be constructed at Ayodhya, Vajpayee said that his party, too, wanted to settle the issue once and for all.

''But a Ram temple already exists there, and puja archana are being performed everyday,'' he said, adding that his party only wanted to give a larger shape to that temple. He expressed the hope that the issue would be resolved and the temple constructed there.

Vajpayee also said he would constitute a high-power commission to suggest amendments in the Constitution so that the country could be saved from the burden of frequent elections. The Commission, he added, would also find out if the country should switch over to the Presidential form of government or continue with the existing system.

with UNI reports

EARLIER REPORTS:
BJP's ambitious plan to reverse UF's economic policy
If masjid was built on mandir site, it should be handed over to Hindus
Let Hindus build temple if one originally existed at Babri site: Kaaba mosque imam

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