The Sangh Parivar today set the stage for a re-run of the VHP versus Mulayam Singh Yadav roadshow. The plot will be the same—a massive march on to Ayodhya—with one new element, a trailer here on October 15.
The trailer, a rally, not to be mistaken for the real drama, is intended to bail out the Vajpayee government from the possible charge of being an accomplice of the VHP as it goes about hitting the road to Ayodhya.
Knowing there is no way the Government can bring about a law right now to hand over the Ayodhya land to the temple trust, the VHP today raised exactly this demand. And then announced that if it was not met, it would launch a mass march from Delhi and Lucknow to Ayodhya.
The VHP has unveiled this ‘‘mass programme’’ after hectic consultations within the Sangh Parivar. Timed to the run-up to the Assembly elections, it apparently has the tacit backing of the BJP.
After a meeting of the Mardarshak Mandal today, VHP working president Ashok Singhal today said the Vajpayee Government should summon a special session of Parliament by October 15 to get a law passed to hand over the disputed Ayodhya land to the Ramjanmabhoomi Nyas for temple construction. Otherwise, Singgal said, the VHP would hold a rally here on October 15, culminating in a march by 50,000 volunteers. A similar road-show will get underway from Lucknow the same day.
The marchers, after converging on Ayodhya, would undertake a ‘‘darshan’’ of eight sacred places (Asht-teerth), including the make-shift Ramlalla temple at the disputed site, and return home after a pledge to build the temple. They would proceed to Ayodhya through cars, buses and trains. Singhal underlined that there would be no repeat of the previous mass-programmes when VHP demonstrators had defied prohibitory orders to invade the disputed area.
Singhal said, ‘‘There are no orders yet to bar our march, but we would defy prohibitory orders, if this is done. We will remain peaceful, but we can not say anything about Mulayam Singhji (UP Chief Minister). We believe, he will not repeat history when he ordered the police to fire bullets on unarmed kar-sevaks.’’
However, nothing can be said with certainty as similar announcements had been made before the Babri Masjid structure was demolished.
Though the demonstration at Delhi is intended for projection as an anti-Centre show, at the end of the day, it would be merely a token exercise. The pressure would ultimately shift on to Mulayam.
He will have to keep the demonstrators under control and ensure that they do not begin construction at the disputed site. Singhal sought to allay these fears. He explained: ‘‘We will depute Ram-bhaktas (devotees of Ram) this time, rather than kar-sevaks, who are supposed to carry out a task.’’
Those present at the meeting included Nyas chairman Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and Mahant Avaidyanath, ex-MP. RSS general secretary Mohan Rao Bhagwat, who joined the discussions, assured the religious leaders that RSS members would fully participate in the agitation.
When asked if the VHP would take an initiative to build a consensus on the issue, Singhal shot back: ‘‘Where are Atalji and Advaniji? They have had their way on POTA. Why can’t they build a consensus on Ram temple? It is their responsibility.’’