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Journalism of Courage
The BJP may still be grappling on whether or not to support Mulayam Singh Yadav when he faces a vote of confidence next week but the RSS has no such dilemma. Its stand is clear: Mulayam is our new friend; Long Live Mulayam.
The editorial in the latest issue of RSS mouthpiece Panchjanya not only welcomes the change of guard in Lucknow but also offers ‘‘shubkamnayen’’ (best wishes) to the new man at the helm who was once the Sangh Parivar’s bitter enemy.
The editorial acknowledges the change in the RSS’s attitude to Mulayam and attributes it to the fact that the Samajwadi Party chief stopped Sonia Gandhi from becoming prime minister in 1999.
It says, ‘‘Even those who harbour bitterness towards Mulayam Singh remain ever grateful to him for preventing Sonia Gandhi from assuming power.’’ That apart, Mulayam Singh has ‘‘also changed with the times and gone far beyond the halla bol rajniti (confrontationist politics),’’ the RSS paper claims.
At the outset, the editorial asserts that with the exit of Mayawati ‘‘people can now heave a sigh of relief’’ and the ascent of Mulayam Singh Yadav is a happy development.
Laying the ground for the BJP’s tacit alliance with the Samajwadi Party, the Panchjanya notes that ‘‘political opportunism’’ has replaced ideological conviction today. Political parties are only interested in immediate gains and ‘‘how to win the next elections.’’
