Muscle-flexing Maya

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has, as we are seeing time and again, gone back on its commitment to abide by the court verdict on Ayodhya. Its re...

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has, as we are seeing time and again, gone back on its commitment to abide by the court verdict on Ayodhya. Its recent rhetoric at Ranchi and its resolution at its Kendriya Margdarshak Mandal at Hardwar, which stated that it will 8216;8216;not abide by its the court8217;s verdict if it goes against our dharmshastras8217;8217; bear witness to that. The Ayodhya issue threatens to invade the political space once again as a consequence. The recent anointment of Ayodhya hardliner Vinay Katiyar as the BJP chief of the state only underlines this distinct possibility. Therefore, even though the results of consecutive elections in Uttar Pradesh have categorically proved that the temple issue is not longer vested with the emotional appeal it had once enjoyed among the state8217;s voters, it would be extremely naive, politically, to wish it away.

It is in that context that Mayawati8217;s public reiteration, at Sunday8217;s public rally in Delhi, that she would abide by the court verdict if the Ayodhya dispute is not resolved through other means, is welcome. Her stand is in sync with the current position of the Vajpayee government too. However, the BJP is clearly searching for a political plank to steer it to power in the next general election 8212; 2004 not such a long way off 8212; and it may be seduced yet again to embrace the mandir cause, especially given the pressures being exercised on it by its affiliates like the VHP. Therefore, Mayawati8217;s pre-emptive strike on the issue is a politically wise move since it unequivocally sets down her government8217;s stance on this controversy during its five-year tenure.

For the moment, certainly, the BJP needs the BSP as much as the latter needs the former. The BJP realises that if it can hang on to its alliance with Mayawati in Uttar Pradesh, without any great degree of public acrimony marking that relationship, it could count on the strength of BSP8217;s committed electorate, especially in states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab. But in politics there is always a quid pro quo, and the one that Mayawati demands is to be allowed to call the shots in UP and keep her recently extended electoral base, which includes a significant proportion of Muslims, content. It is for this reason that she needs to publicly reiterate her position on Ayodhya. There may come a time when such a stance could bring her on collision course with her UP ally but that denouement is not imminent if we are to go by Vinay Katiyar8217;s indirect response to Mayawati8217;s Delhi speech. Speaking to BJP party workers in Lucknow on Monday, Katiyar condemned the attempts of some to hold demonstrations against BSP8217;s alleged atrocities. He wanted better understanding between the two partners for the smooth functioning of the government, he said. Power, or the prospect of having more of it, is moderating this hardliner. This is the right time, therefore, to enunciate first principles when it comes to the Ayodhya dispute.