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Journalism of Courage
The Government today justified its plea to the Supreme Court for vacating the stay on religious activities in the acquired land at Ayodhya saying it was a 8216;8216;genuine8217;8217; effort to expedite resolution of the issue and was 8216;8216;not politically motivated8217;8217;.
Replying to the eight-hour-long debate on Ayodhya in the Lok Sabha tonight, Law Minister Arun Jaitley said 8216;8216;whatever we have done is a genuine bonafide act of the Government to expedite the matter8217;8217; as was the NDA agenda.
Jaitley stressed that in its 1994 verdict, the SC had observed the 8216;8216;superfluous area should be returned to its rightful owners at a later stage8217;8217;.
He said that it was his as well as the Attorney General8217;s opinion that 8216;8216;the transfer of superfluous area may not wait till the title suit is decided8217;8217; by the Lucknow Bench.
Calling it the 8216;8216;most honourable thing under the circumstances,8217;8217; Jaitley said, 8216;8216;The Government is the rightful owner of the acquired land8230;. It is the receiver and has asked for the return of this land.8217;8217;
8216;8216;Is moving court deplorable, treacherous or moral corruption? If no one moves the court, which is the other way to expedite the matter which had the potential to create social tensions?8217;8217; Jaitley said. He also said the Government8217;s move debunked the Opposition charge that it had a politically motivated 8216;8216;vested interest8217;8217; and said that it was, in fact, the Opposition which appears as if it has a vested interest in not allowing expeditious disposal of the issue.
Earlier, the Opposition grilled the Government for moving court while the BJP sought an initiative from Parliament to resolve the imbroglio. The Opposition also targeted its ire towards PM A.B. Vajpayee for his alleged claim during electioneering in Himachal Pradesh that a temple existed at Ayodhya.
Jaipal Reddy of the Congress accused the BJP-led coalition of being 8216;8216;brazenly partisan, blatantly anti-constitutional and immoral8217;8217; by moving the SC which, he said, was the provocation for the present discussion on the issue.
Stating that the Prime Minister has now removed his mask and is wearing the hat of 8216;8216;Hindutva8217;8217;, Reddy dismissed clarifications by TDP8217;s Yerran Naidu and Samata Party8217;s Prabhunath Singh that their parties were with BJP on the basis of NDA agenda. He added that BJP has revived its agenda taking 8216;8216;full advantage8217;8217; of the helplessness of its allies.
Beginning the discussion, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav accused the Government of raising an 8216;8216;unnecessary controversy8217;8217;.
8216;8216;If Government is so keen for an early decision, why has it not moved the court for an early verdict in the Babri Masjid demolition case,8217;8217; in which some union ministers were involved, he said.
Senior BJP member Swami Chinmayanand countered Opposition charges and made a strong plea for an initiative from Parliament for an early resolution of Ayodhya issue. 8216;8216;Parliament is sovereign and its collective wisdom should be applied,8217;8217; he said.
Chinmayanand said there was 8216;8216;nothing objectionable8217;8217; in the VHP demand to get back the undisputed land and quoted parts of the court order to buttress his claim. Former PM Deve Gowda requested Vajpayee to withdraw the application moved before the Supreme Court.
