Tags:
Journalism of Courage
The VHP renewed its attack on the Prime Minister’s Office and his Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra today, despite the BJP’s appeal to the Sangh Parivar for peace after the last outburst.
VHP international working president Ashok Singhal even went to the extent of suggesting that there was ‘‘no need for the PMO’’.
The man responsible for the ‘‘increasing gaps’’ (badhati dooriyan) between Vajpayee and ‘‘us’’ is ‘‘the one who runs his office’’ (unka office chalane wala). When pressed to name him, Singhal first reponded by saying that ‘‘you all know him’’, but subsequently named Brajesh Mishra, whom he then called on to desist.
When asked how the gaps could be bridged, Singhal shot back: ‘‘By punishing the guilty.’’ He stopped short, though, of demanding Mishra’s removal and said that it was for the Prime Minister to decide.
Singhal maintained that Vajpayee’s image had taken a beating due to the way the PMO had handled the Ayodhya issue during the shila-daan programme in March this year.
‘‘What happened during those 15 days was being controlled by the PMO and that has definitely damaged the Prime Minister’s image’’, Singhal said.
His claim that Mishra was pulling strings without taking Vajpayee into confidence prompted journalists to ask him how was he so sure of the PM not being in the know of what was going on. Singhal said, ‘‘I know what emotions the Prime Minister has. I know that the Prime Minister is not aware of all that has happened.’’
Asked what issues were hidden from the Prime Minister, the VHP leader recounted the hardships faced by the people of Ayodhya due to restrictions imposed on their movements.
He gave a clean chit to Home Minister LK Advani citing a public statement by Minister of State for Home ID Swami that the Home Ministry had nothing to do with the restrictions.
The Prime Minister should, he said, resolve the Ayodhya issue at the earliest to retrieve his image.
