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Journalism of Courage
AHMEDABAD, FEB 6: A wave of frenzy swept through the saffron ocean at the eighth Dharma Sansad over every utterance of a religious conversion or Ram Janmabhoomi. And several of the speakers spoke in a language that may make the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party leaders squirm.
To begin with, the newly-ordained Vishwa Hindu Parishad international general secretary Pravin Togadia made it clear that the VHP did not agree with the BJP-led Government on some issues. Referring to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee8217;s recent comment at Lucknow, that there was no forced conversions in the country, Dr Togadia said, 8220;Vajpayee may have depended on his information, but we have our own information that conversion is taking place through force, fraud and inducement, besides use of a lot of money power.8221; He added, 8220;Maybe because of lack of information, Vajpayee would have said that.8221;
He also stated that VHP activities were not tarnishing the image of the Vajpayee Government. 8220;We are engaged only in nationalistic activity,8221;he explained. But Mahamandaleshwar Mangaldasji of Gita Mandir, Ahmedabad, lambasted the Government for its alleged failure to protect Hinduism. 8220;They Centre are busy saving their own kursi chair. How will they save the religion?8221; he asked. He called upon the sants to 8220;pressurise8221; both the State and Central Governmentsto bring about a law to ban conversions. 8220;Do not wait for the Centre to do it,8221;he advised.
However, the most interesting speech by far was that of Ramchandradasji Maharaj from Ayodhya. Repeating the end of every sentence thrice with a movement of his hand, he said, 8220;We will construct Ram Mandir. We will not ask any Government. We will not ask judiciary.8221; He then added, a touch humourously, that Vajpayee and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh secretly supported the Ram Temple issue. 8220;But because their Governments are propped by coalition partners, they are not openly saying it. It is like a conservative Hindu wife, who does not mention her husband8217;s name.8221;
