Cong flays VHP8217;s demand on NCM

NEW DELHI, FEB 16: The Congress on Tuesday took up cudgels on behalf of the National Commission for Minorities by condemning the Vishwa Hindu Parishad8217;s demand to wind up the panel, adding that it only showed the VHP8217;s intolerance towards minorities in the country.

Party spokesperson Ajit Jogi said the VHP8217;s stance was in line with its strategy of bringing communalism to the forefront in the country8217;s politics and making its brand of fundamentalism and fascism the main agenda. He added that the VHP was targeting the Commission because of its report to the President on the atrocities on minorities in various states. Jogi added Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh BMS leader Dattopant Thengdi8217;s attack on Vajpayee8217;s coalition government was another example of the inherent contradictions of the Sangh Parivar. Thengdi had called Vajpayee a petty politician surrounded by wrong advisors, one of the severest personal attacks on the PM by one of RSS8217; leaders so far.

The Congress spokesperson said the government was powerhungry and had surrendered before multi-national corporations. He also said the government could fall anytime. Party president Sonia Gandhi has already stressed this more than twice in the past few days leading to speculation that the Opposition was working on the possibility of an alternative government at the Centre in earnest this time.