BJP and Congress vying for Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy

Vajpayee began the day with a visit to Rajghat for paying floral tributes at the Mahatama’s samadhi. He then carried on with his routine work. The recent incidents of violence still looming in his mind, Vajpayee, in his address to the nation this afternoon, said that his Government was committed to providing the Constitutional guarantee of security for all.

“Let no one be under any illusion: the laws of our land are clear, and they will be enforced withoutexception, and to the fullest degree to punish those who violate this sacred guarantee. Suspects have already been rounded up in Madhya Pradesh, and culprits taken into custody in Gujarat. Every agency of the State and the Central Governments is pursuing every lead in Orissa. The situation in Bihar will be firmly dealt with,” he said.Observing that justice cannot and shall not be delayed, he said: “Therefore, there are two immediate tasks to shun violence and to bring the criminals swiftly to book.”

“As a mark of my own resolve to carry out my responsibility as a citizen and as the First Servant of the Nation, I have undertaken a day’s fast today. I know that I have been joined by millions of my countrymen in this act of atonement and introspection,” Vajpayee added.

Union Home Minister L K Advani and BJP president Kushabhau Thakre led a galaxy of party leaders in observing fast at the party headquarters at 11, Ashoka Road. Addressing his party workers at the end of the day, he expressed his resolveto ensure “a terror-free society” this year.

“While we, after assuming power at the Centre, have succeeded in providing a riot-free and violence-free society, we have not been able to rid the society of fear. On the contrary, we feel this has increased in some areas because of some recent incidents,” he quipped.

He admitted that the Jhabua rape case, attacks on places of worship in Gujarat, the killing of the Australian missionary in Orissa and the massacre of 22 dalits in Bihar had earned a bad name for the country across the world. “They are a blot on the country’s image,” he said. He urged his party workers to modulate their behaviour and thinking in such a manner to remove the trace of negativism in them. “They should reflect a positive attitude,” Advani observed.

“There is no reason for you to have a contemptuous attitude towards other religions,” he told the party workers, adding, “It is true that Swami Vivekanand opposed the excesses committed in the name of conversion, but he alsosimultaneously made the world aware of the greatness of Hinduism.”The recent incidents of violence, Advani pointed out, had negated the party’s plank of samrasta (equality with social justice). “The decision to appoint the Commission of Inquiry on the Orissa killings is a reflection of our commitment to this,” he said.

On the other hand, while observing that her party would ensure full protection to minorities against the acts of violence perpetrated against them, Congress president Sonia Gandhi unveiled a seven-point programme to guarantee recruitment for minorities in Government services, with a special emphasis on police and security agencies.

Setting up State minority commissions wherever they are not established, steps to end their economic and educational backwardness and full encouragement to the languages and literature of minority communities are some of the highlights of the programme. The programme was released by Sonia at a function organised by the Congress to observe the 51st martyrdomday of Mahatma Gandhi.

According to the programme, highest priority would be accorded to dealing with the problem of educational backwardness of minorities, so that their social and economic advancement through improved educational facilities is assured. It also says that schemes would be undertaken for recruitment and guaranteed placement of members of the minorities, with special emphasis on police and related security agencies.