Temple: Parivar seals cracks

The BJP’s public endorsement of the VHP stir came after RSS strongman Mohan Rao Bhagwat went into a huddle with Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, BJP president M. Venkaiah Naidu and other party leaders at Naidu’s residence. Bhagwat, who is RSS general secretary and heir apparent to sarsanghchalak K.S. Sudarshan, was assisted by joint secretary (BJP) Madan Dass Devi. Advani and Naidu were joined by Agriculture Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP vice-president Pyarelal Khandelwal and general secretaries Pramod Mahajan, Sanjay Joshi and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. Both Khandelwal and Joshi are RSS pracharaks on deputation to the BJP. Rajnath’s presence was necessitated because the leaders required UP-specific inputs for the agitation.

Sources said the meeting decided that BJP leaders would not lead the agitation from the front. Thus, the VHP would try to project it as an apolitical Hindu religious movement. At the same time, the BJP would be saved the hassle of keeping its NDA allies in good humour while leading a temple movement.

As for the venue for the stir, two views emerged at the meeting. An agitation at Lucknow would generate less tension and repression because the government would not apprehend any trouble at the disputed spot. The political impact would also be greater. The other view was to conduct it at Ayodhya to keep the focus on Ram. RSS leaders reportedly told the BJP that VHP sadhus are in favour of Ayodhya being the venue. The ultimate choice may be left to their committee.

After the meeting, Mahajan told mediapersons: ‘‘In the light of the ASI report, it was decided that the agitation should be intensified.’’ These words imply the BJP concurrence to the decision to step up the movement.

Mahajan said his party favours an early solution to the dispute — through negotiations, court verdict or a legislation. He said: ‘‘The BJP has no objection to the VHP’s demand for a bill in Parliament.’’ The legislation was one of the means, but ‘‘it will not be possible to bring it till all NDA allies agreed to it.’’

VHP working president Ashok Singhal’s remark against another term for Vajpayee did not come in way of the BJP’s support to the VHP. Mahajan argued that Singhal had ‘‘only expressed his views.’’ He said the BJP and the VHP should have direct contact rather than routing their views through media. Devi also distanced himself from Singhal’s views saying he did not support them.