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Journalism of Courage
With just a day left for the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to meet at Lucknow, the Sangh Parivar started closing its ranks today to make a concerted attempt to securing for itself a Ram temple, as close as it could get to the site where the Babri Masjid once stood.
The three key Parivar players, RSS, BJP and the VHP, were unitedly working towards three key objectives: get the temple built on the ‘‘undisputed’’ land; retain the disputed site as the sanctum sanctorum until the final court ruling and ensure that Mathura and Kashi do not get linked to Ayodhya.
In effect, the Parivar is riding piggy back on the Kanchi Kamakoti Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi to clinch a deal with the AIMPLB.
The only discordant note within the Parivar has been struck by the unusually harsh criticism of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee by VHP working president Ashok Singhal yesterday. However, even this was seen as an irritant: the RSS today distanced itself from Singhal’s demand for Vajpayee’s resignation. The BJP came out only with a measured response.
Party spokesman Prakash Javadekar said: ‘‘There is no case or cause for the Prime Minister’s resignation.’’ When asked about VHP allegations against the Prime Minister, Javadekar said, ‘‘We don’t approve of them.’’ And added: ‘‘They (Parishad leaders) should build pressure on those who are against the temple (at Ayodhya), instead of pressurising us, who are in favour of the temple.’’
He denied Singhal’s contention that Vajpayee was opposed to the temple construction. He recalled that the party adopted a resolution in favour of the Ram temple at Palampur in Himachal in 1989 in the presence of Vajpayee. ‘‘Atalji’s and the party’s line is the same,’’ he said.
As for the location of the temple, the BJP spokesman echoed the VHP with a rider. He said the party was in favour of the temple where Ramlala had been installed—the disputed site—but only through a ‘‘negotiated settlement between the two communities involved or through a verdict of the court.’’ As for the VHP demand for a law to ensure this, Javadekar played it safe: ‘‘Legislation is a way, but the time is not ripe for it.’’
At far-off Kanyakumari, RSS spokesman Ram Madhav, according to agencies, told journalists on the eve of the Sangh Pratinidhi Sabha meeting: ‘‘I don’t want to comment on VHP. It may be his (Singhal’s) personal view. Who should be the Prime Minister is not to be decided by the RSS. We respect the authority of the party to decide on such things. There is no question of feeling let down by the Government as we understand difficulties of a coalition government which is bound by a different agenda from that of the BJP.’’
Neverthless, he said, the Sangh expects certain things to be done by the Government on the issue. The Hindu society, he claimed, wants Ram Janmabhoomi handed over to Hindus. ‘‘Our own people in the government will definitely look at it.’’
The RSS, according to him, does not view it as a Hindu-Muslim problem. ‘‘For us this issue is of national self-respect and honour. We appeal to all those involved in the dispute to facilitate the construction of the Ram temple at the site where Ramlala is sitting now.’’
When reached by The Indian Express from here, Madhav said the RSS stand on Kashi and Mathura was unchanged. ‘‘We want a restoration of all three to Hindus. They should be dealt with separately.’’ As for the reported demand of Muslims for a return of ASI-protected mosques, he said the matter was not on the table.
The entire RSS top-brass has reached Kanyakumari to participate in the meeting. The VHP will be represented by Singhal and general secretary Pravin Togadia, while the BJP will be represented by former president Kushabhau Thakre and general secretary (organisation) Sanjay Joshi.
