RSS, VHP Sandwich Prime Minister Vajpayee

 - D Vishnumohan Rao

Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is in chaos as he is being sandwiched by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the right and the left wings of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The VHP leaders had given an ultimatum on one hand regarding the Ram Janmabhoomi land and RSS on the other is demanding for waging war with the neighbouring state, Pakistan. Adding fuel to the fire, the sauce added to pressure sandwich of RSS and VHP is the spiralling extremist and terrorist activities in the country. All put together is pushing the Prime Minister further more and creating a chronic headache to him.

The RSS country chief Sudarshan very strongly pressed the need for waging a war with Pakistan if the Indian government ‘really’ is interested in sweeping away the multi-pronged terrorism from Kashmir region of the country. It is in fact a reality that since decades cross border sponsored terrorism is having its network and tentacles strong in Kashmir region.

When looked at VHP, its leaders demanded handing over the 67- acre stretch of land acquired by the Central government in 1993. VHP fixed the dead line for voluntary shift of authority on the land from the Government as March 12, 2002. The Prime Minister is in a fix, not able to decide on both the matters. When he wished to take the advice of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) member parties, the idea also boomeranged. Some members of the alliance brushed the proposal aside with the pretext that they are not in the NDA's common agenda. There is no meaning in discussing matters that are not in the agenda they clarified. It should have pinched the Prime Minister further more.

A small sigh of relief comes to Vajpayee from Foreign Affairs minister Jaswanth Singh who is taking the responsibility of commenting on the Nation’s international issues, holding discussions with heads of Governments and Representatives of various countries. He is little relieved as Home Minister L K Advani and Defence Minister George Fernandez protect the interests of NDA about internal affairs of the sub-continent. However, the sorry state of affairs remain so for the Prime Minister and the NDA government with the directly targeted comments of RSS and VHP according to political observers.

Ram Temple, Again In The Whirlwind of Controversy

The issue of Babri Masjid and Ram Janmabhoomi shook the country holding it by the boots, a decade ago. The same issue is gathering strength to become a disturbing whirlwind of controversy yet another time. It is to be recollected that VHP was responsible to raise the issue then and now. The Congress government at the Centre headed by the then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao was the scapegoat when the issue was raised by VHP a decade ago and now Prime Minister Vajpayee in seeming to be in the bull’s eye in the current wave.

The Prime Minister is expected to engage heavy think tanks to look at the demand of the VHP for the handing over of land at Ayodhya. This of course was needed, as BJP is likely to suffer a major setback politically if VHP demand is met immediately. He ordered Law Minister Arun Jaitely to look into the legal complications in the matter of handing over the land to VHP’s recommended Trust. On the other side, he is believed to have sought assistance from the judiciary to speed up the long pending cases on the Ram Janmabhoomi issue.

According to VHP, it is demanding the land, which is not at all in controversy. Prime Minister is wake enough to understand that if the land is given to VHP there will be objections raised by the Babri Masjid Reconstruction Committee. This might again erupt the volcano of communal violence not only in Ayodhya but also in the entire country, as the understanding between the Hindu and Muslim communities might go off the track. That is the reason it is believed that why Prime Minister is not taking a bold step in allocating the acquired land to VHP.

Operate Your ‘Power’ Shut Eyes To See Reality, Says VHP

The leaders of VHP in the broad daylight criticised the Prime Minister and the Central government to open eyes, which were shut by power mongerdness. VHP at the same time recalls that Ram Janmabhoomi was the foundation for the BJP and its NDA to be crowned to power. It further recalled that most of the present Union ministers participated in ‘silanyas’ agitation during those days (before and after the demolition of Babri Masjid complex).

The war trumpets would start blowing, according to VHP national chief Ashok Singhal, from March 13 for constructing the Ram Temple at Ayodhya if the Union government failed to hand over the demanded stretch of land by March 12, 2002. The Hindu Sena Vahini would take care of construction, he reiterated. The Courts of Law and their verdicts can never become hurdles in the path of VHP from doing the long cherished demand of ‘Hindusthanis”, Singhal claimed.

Fernandez for Hindu – Muslim discussion to eke out solution

The NDA Convenor and Defence Minister George Fernandez opined that the solution can be drawn out only through bilateral discussion between the Hindu and Muslim community leaders at national level. If they could not eke out any solution through negotiations, both the communities should abide by the Court judgement what ever it may be. Home Minister L K Advani also expressed a similar opinion.

This expressions of two Union ministers reflect the ideology of the Union government that it is not readily accepting the demand to hand over the 67 acre stretch of land. The forethought in Prime Minister’s checking with Law Minister Arun Jaitely for any legal complications must be the same. The Union government has no option left but to take the word of the Court and implement its decision. Whereas analysts keep their fingers crossed with a single expectation that VHP is sure to go ahead with the Ram Temple construction. If the situation emerges, there is every chance that the fort of Hindu – Muslim religious harmony and unity will suffer many cracks, all over the country including Ayodhya.

Fight with Pakistan, demands RSS

RSS national chief K Sudarshan demanded the Union government to declare war on Pakistan, for extending all possible support to cross border terrorism. He ridiculed the attitude of Pakistan rulers for continuing their support to extremism and still inviting India for peace talks. The strategy of Pakistan in doing so was only to gather sympathy and moral support from the world countries. If it had commitment to clean out terrorism from the region, it should immediately stop all assistance to terrorist outfits and should have talks with Indian rulers only after handing over all the wanted terrorists by the country. With this statement, the stand of RSS is clear that it is pressurising the government to wage war if it wished to do good to the country and its men.

The RSS chief further mentions about the intervention of Pakistan in the internal matters of India every time. He expressed an opinion that Pakistan, which is attempting time and again to grab Kashmir region can be cut to size, only if India can dare to raise its hand for a fight.

Prime Minister on pragmatic moves

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is keenly observing Pakistan moves, like beefing up army units on the other side of the border, instigative actions of extremists attempting to barge into the Indian territory and above all, the intention of world countries trying to ease tensions between both the countries.

However, the Prime Minister is going cool and pragmatic in spite of international and internal pressures. The internal pressures include that of the ultimatum spelt out by VHP and RSS. Any decision taken by the Prime Minister will definitely show impact on the future of NDA member parties in the elections in the four states, scheduled in February 2002.

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