‘Repressed’ VHP chants article of faith: 356

The day’s events behind, Sangh Parivar outfits positioned themselves differently to address their varied constituencies today. While a ...

The day’s events behind, Sangh Parivar outfits positioned themselves differently to address their varied constituencies today.

While a belligerent VHP demanded an imposition of President’s Rule in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP charged Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav with committing ‘‘excesses’’ on VHP activists and condemned his action. The RSS, in the meantime, tried to put forth a more rational view: it opposed the crackdown on VHP supporters, but asked everybody to get over the bitterness which might have been created due to the programme.

VHP secretary Surendra Jain called for an imposition of President’s Rule in UP for Yadav’s ‘‘atrocities on Hindus’’. He criticised the manner in which the police arrested and ‘‘dragged’’ VHP working president Ashok Singhal in Ayodhya. Jain further charged the Centre with working in ‘‘connivance’’ with the UP Chief Minister for ‘‘repression’’ of VHP activists. He said the organisation will hold demonstrations at all district headquarters throughout the country in protest against this ‘‘repression’’. The district units may stage demonstrations tomorrow or the day after but there won’t be any bandh, he added.

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Claiming that the VHP programme was a success, Jain said thousands of people managed to get to Ayodhya despite the presence of 147 companies of Central forces and the entire state police to intercept them. He claimed 55,000 VHP activists were arrested and 2.5 lakh others were prevented from proceeding to Ayodhya.

RSS joint secretary Madan Das Devi called on Deputy PM L.K. Advani to register the Sangh’s unhappiness over hurdles created in the conduct of a peaceful programme. He told reporters later: ‘‘Rambhakts were not allowed to hold their sankalp sammelan. People could not reach the venue due to the heavy security arrangements.’’ When asked if the arrangements were called for, he said, ‘‘there was no need for it’’.

RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav told reporters: ‘‘The bitterness generated among the Centre, state government and various sections should now be forgotten and a new beginning should be made.’’

Madhav lauded the VHP activists for the ‘‘successful’’ completion of their programme ‘‘despite all provocations’’. He gave the VHP ‘‘full credit’’ for it and said the RSS would support all its programmes on the Ramjanmabhoomi issue. BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar condemned Yadav’s ‘‘excesses’’ on VHP activists. He told reporters: ‘‘The VHP has the right to a peaceful assembly. The outfit had declared that it would be a peaceful programme. Yadav would have done better by facilitating this programme rather than putting hurdles in its way.’’