The Hindu : Vision document

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 02, 2004

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Vision document

Sir, — The editorial, "Clever election stratagem" (April 1) is right in saying that the BJP's vision document is hardly inspiring. The reference to a Ram temple at Ayodhya clearly depicts its motive of pacifying the RSS. As for the promise of bringing in legislation to ensure that important state offices are occupied only by natural citizens of Indian origin, the BJP seems more bothered about its rivals than the public which is the ultimate boss in a democracy.

S. Lakshmi Priya,

Srirangam, T.N.

* * *

Sir, — The vision document is intended to appease the RSS and is proof of the fact that the BJP has not yet abandoned the Hindutva plank. It is paradoxically significant that L.K. Advani, in his secular Hindutva preaching at Porbandar, had to lean on Gandhiji's `Ram Rajya' and `Ram' — the last word on the Mahatma's lips before he fell to the assassin's bullets. He conveniently did not recall that the RSS was the main suspect in the assassination.

V.K. Sathyavan Nair,

Kottayam, Kerala

* * *

Sir, — In Porbandar, Mr. Advani revealed something hitherto unknown. He said it was because Hindutva preached tolerance towards all religions that India, unlike Pakistan, chose to become secular after Partition. That the hordes of scholars and lawyers who have gone over the Constituent Assembly debates did not see this simple point only means that they lacked the vision to understand that Gandhi, Nehru and Azad actually represented Hindutva.

Mukul Dube,

New Delhi

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