The Hindu : BJP playing "hypocritical role": Singhal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 01, 2003

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National

BJP playing "hypocritical role": Singhal

By Our Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW SEPT. 30. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad working president, Ashok Singhal, today alleged that the National Democratic Alliance Government at the Centre was "hostile" to the Ram temple movement and that the Bharatiya Janata Party was playing a "hypocritical role".

The VHP would, however, not allow the BJP to get away with its "hypocrisy" and would step up pressure to enact legislation to facilitate construction of a temple in Ayodhya.

Talking to newspersons here, Mr. Singhal said the "sants'' had earlier realised the compulsions of the BJP which was running the Government on the basis of the NDA agenda. But its leaders were speaking outside stating that they were in favour of a temple. Telling one thing as part of the NDA and quite another in the public was certainly a "stance of hypocrisy".

After the Archeological Survey of India excavations near the disputed site it had been proved beyond doubt that the Babri masjid had been constructed after demolishing a Ram temple. The Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, enjoyed enough influence over his NDA partners and was capable of enacting legislation to facilitate the construction of the temple at the disputed site, Mr. Singhal said.

He urged Muslims to withdraw their claim over the site in view of the ASI "revelations" and demanded handing over of the place to the Ramjanmabhoomi Trust which had been making preparations all these years to construct the temple.

The Ramanand sampradaya (tradition) should be given the charge of the temple to perform its day-to-day management.

Mosque construction

Mr. Singhal opposed construction of a mosque near the disputed site. The descendents of Mir Baqi who was responsible for constructing the Babri masjid lived at a place called Sahanwa, about 8 km from Ayodhya. A suitable site could be selected there for constructing a mosque, he said.

Giving details of the proposed VHP programme later this month to create "public awareness" in favour of a temple, he said that on October 15 Hindu religious leaders would hold meetings and marches in Lucknow and New Delhi. On October 17, they would hold a public meeting in Ayodhya and return after performing a pilgrimage of the holy town.

The congregation on October 17 would be totally peaceful and the administration should not make any "provocative statements" creating problems, he said.

Replying to a question, Mr. Singhal said the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav, had learnt his lessons from the past and hoped that the VHP would be allowed to go ahead with its programme.

Even in 1990, the VHP had been allowed by his Government to bring in Ram bhakts for darshan of Ramlala and everything had ended peacefully.

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