Vajpayee calls for promoting positive forces

"The general atmosphere in the country is such that there is too much activity on negative issues," the former prime minister said.

Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Saturday said there was too much talk about negative issues and emphasised the need to promote positive forces to take the nation forward.

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Speaking at a book release function, the veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said: "The general atmosphere in the country is such that there is too much activity on negative issues. The positive issues, on the other hand, are lying dormant, witnessing very less activity."

He was speaking at the party headquarters after releasing a book Samadhan. Senior BJP leader LK Advani was also present but did not speak.

The book has been published by the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Foundation and contains articles by prominent BJP leaders, including party chief Rajnath Singh and Advani on various socio-economic issues.

"The United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre is indulging in vote bank politics by misguiding Muslims in the garb of minority appeasement," Rajnath Singh said at the function.

"The BJP wants to uplift the Muslims. But we are opposed to reservation on the basis of religion," he added.