Sidelined, VHP asks Govt to come clean

In its strongest denunciation of the BJP-led government in recent times, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) today accused it of reneging on its...

In its strongest denunciation of the BJP-led government in recent times, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) today accused it of reneging on its ‘‘commitment to society’’ on the Ram temple issue and demanded that the Centre ‘‘come clean’’ on its talks with Muslim leaders and attempts to hammer out a compromise through the Shankaracharya of Kanchi.

VHP’s international president Ashok Singhal accused the government of using the Shankaracharya ‘‘as a tool’’ and keeping him ‘‘in the dark’’ as to the extent of its plan.

While the VHP has been demanding a law to facilitate temple construction in Ayodhya, the Shankaracharya, with the implicit concurrence of the government, has suggested a negotiated settlement. And on Sunday, the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board agreed to consider a detailed, written offer from the Shankaracharya.

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VHP sources confirmed the press briefing was timed to influence the BJP’s upcoming chintan baithak in Mumbai. ‘‘We hope pressure will build on Atalji and Advanji,’’ said a senior VHP functionary, adding ‘‘we were given to understand that an agreement with the AIMPLB would be announced by June 22.’’

At the press conference today, Singhal alluded to Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani’s recent meeting with Ram Chandra Paramhans, chief of the Ramjanmabhoomi Nyas, the VHP-affiliated trust set up to build a Ram temple in Ayodhya.

‘‘Paramhans has had a heart attack and is in hospital,’’ Singhal said, ‘‘I will reveal details of the meeting later.’’

A senior VHP office-bearer later told The Indian Express that Advani had asked Paramhans to be party to a tripartite agreement with the Union government and the AIMPLB whereby a temple would be constructed in Ayodhya but Hindu claims on Kashi and Mathura would be renounced. More pertinently, the VHP, the organisation at the forefront of the Ram temple agitation for two decades, would be marginalised. Hence, it has upped the ante.

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The VHP termed the government’s attempts at compromise as ‘‘appeasement of Muslims’’ and ‘‘surrender of the Indian state.’’

VHP general secretary Praveen Togadia claimed the government was willing to throw open 1,000 ASI-protected monuments for namaaz, agree to nine per cent job reservations for Muslims and forgo Hindu claims on the disputed Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath and Idgah-Krishnajanbhoomi (Mathura) shrines and financially support madarsas to get the AIMPLB to agree to a Ram temple at the disputed Ayodhya site.

‘‘Kashi and Mathura are non-negotiable,’’ said Singhal,‘‘… koi saude baazi nahin ho sakti (there can be no bargaining).’’

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