NAGPUR, AUGUST 26: The newly elected BJP President Bangaru Laxman has warned the Sangh Parivar that the party would stop listening to them if they continue with their criticism of the Vajpayee government.``We are obviously embarrassed by such criticism from our ideological friendsbut it is more because this is our first year in NDA Government. Soon wewill start ignoring them,'' Laxman said on the eve of the party's national council meeting in Nagpur where the RSS has its headquarters. Laxman who will formally take over as the BJP president tomorrow also said the basic ideology of the BJP and RSS was the same and ``the differences can be sorted out through discussions but they are acting in a haste.''Laxman also said the BJP felt its ``distinguishing features'' like Ram temple at Ayodhya, Uniform Civil Code, and Article 370 ``were not necessary now''. ``We are not a mere three-issue party,'' he said while adding that the issues could be revived when the BJP comes to power on its own.BJP leaders say they have had to shed their hardline stand since the party isnow leading a coalition government. Party workers should realise that the BJP was in a transition phase-from being an opposition party to the leader of the ruling coalition and they should not raise controversial issues at the moment, Laxman says.The party is expected to take a tough stand on RSS in its economic resolutionwhich will come up for discussion tomorrow. Party leaders anticipate a number of queries from the Sangh Parivar over the second generation of reforms being pursued by the Vajpayee Government. The shelving of the swadeshi agenda is also attributed to the pressures of coalition politics. ``Swadeshi is our commitment but liberalisation is our programme,'' said the party general secretary Venkaiah Naidu.Laxman also dismissed VHP chief Vishnu Hari Dalmia's demand that the Farooq Government to be dismissed and Kashmir administration handed over to the military. The demand could not be conceded since Farooq was part of the NDA Government and the coalition did not have majority in the Rajya Sabha if it wanted to impose Article 356 in Kashmir, he said. ``You can not create a Pakistan-version of Kashmir by imposing military rule and tell the international community that we were ready to talk peace,'' Laxman said. He also ruled out taking up policy of hot pursuit which means an undeclared war by crossing the enemy territory. ``Situation in Kashmir is completely different from that in Israel,'' he says.Despite the hardtalk by Laxman, BJP leaders seem to be making efforts to keep the RSS leadership in good humour. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is expected to meet top Sangh leaders including Mohan Bhagwat and Dattopant Thengadi here tomorrow.
