Back to basics is BJP 25th b’day tune

In the last 25 years, the BJP has oscillated between two strategies: the ideologically ‘‘distinctive’’ Hindutva path marked by the Ramjanmabhoomi campaign as well as the more ‘‘moderate’’ path of coalition-building that enabled it to come to power as head of the NDA.

Advani indicated that the party would once again give primacy to ideological issues of which Ayodhya remains supreme. In interviews, the BJP chief said the construction of the Ram temple remained an ‘‘unfulfilled desire’’ which would have been met had the NDA returned to power in 2004.

Advani’s assertion on that score is not new. On more than one occasion since losing power, the BJP chief has claimed that talks to resolve the Ayodhya dispute had been at an ‘‘advanced stage’’ last year. But he has always refused to spell out the details or even identify the negotiators.

He remained equally reticent on the details today even while asserting that ‘‘if we has been able to get a renewed mandate in Lok Sabha, it would have been a few more months that there would have been agreement between Hindus and Muslims in respect of constructing a Ram temple.’’

Significantly, echoing the VHP line, Advani also spoke out against a court verdict to settle the issue. ‘‘There will be dispute even after any court verdict, I have seen many verdicts not acceptable to some communities,’’ he said, while underling that an ‘‘enduring solution’’ was possible only through an agreement between the two communities.

Of even greater significance was his total support to Narendra Modi over the Gujarat riots.

In sharp contrast to Atal Behari Vajpayee’s criticism of Modi’s role, Advani said, ‘‘I don’t think accusations against Modi are correct. There have been so many riots in the country … I have not known a single riot where the government acted as sternly as the Gujarat government acted this time, where 200 rioters were shot dead.’’

At a time when the Gujarat unit of the BJP is up in arms against Modi and the controversial chief minister was denied a visa to the US and avoided going to the UK on account of the riots cloud, Advani’s clean chit sends an unambiguous signal—that the BJP’s national leadership will unapologetically stand by Modi and the Gujarat events despite Vajpayee’s admission that the riots damaged the BJP’s image in the country and abroad.

Sections of the BJP would rather focus on the party’s other achievements in the last 25 years such as heading the first non-Congress coalition that completed its full term in power.

Chatting with reporters today, BJP vice president M A Naqvi, for instance, repeatedly stressed on how the BJP had started out as an ‘‘untouchable’’ but became the ‘‘fulcrum’’ of national politics by taking a range of parties on board.

However, with the RSS issuing warning after warning to the BJP over the last ten months to fall in line or be abandoned, the party leadership is keen on stressing its ideological roots rather than extol the moderation that helped it win allies and come to power.

That is why Advani reminded party workers that exactly 25 years ago today, the Janata Party had decided to expel those who had links with the RSS.

‘‘As we told them that we cannot sever ties with RSS, we were forced to part ways …We were crucified for our beliefs but like Christ, we were resurrected when the BJP came into being two days later.’’