The Hindu : VHP will be included in talks on Ayodhya: BJP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 26, 2003

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VHP will be included in talks on Ayodhya: BJP

Gwalior June 25 . The BJP today said the Vishwa Hindu Parishad would be included in talks to resolve the Ayodhya dispute after the Centre received a proposal from the Kanchi Sankaracharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswati, in this regard.

Denying any knowledge about the formula proposed by the Acharya, the BJP General Secretary, Pramod Mahajan, told reporters here that the seer was engaged in talks with the Muslim Personal Law Board.

Mr. Mahajan, who is here in connection with a meeting of the party's national office-bearers to assess the preparedness for the Assembly elections in four States later this year, said the Acharya's formula presented to Muslim leaders still had to be taken up for discussion.

If the formula was agreed upon by the parties involved, it would be forwarded to the Centre. If it was acceptable to the Government, the VHP would definitely be invited for talks as it had long been agitating for construction of the temple.

`Kashi, Mathura never on agenda'

Denying any "deal" with the Muslims for solving the Ayodhya dispute, Mr. Mahajan reiterated that Kashi and Mathura were never on the BJP's agenda. The party stood by the resolution passed at its 1989 Palampur conclave on the construction of the Ram Temple. The BJP would always support the temple issue but being part of the National Democratic Alliance it would try to find a solution through dialogue or abide by the court verdict.

Asked whether the BJP would give up its demand for the temple if the court verdict was in favour of the Babri Masjid, Mr. Mahajan said "no Government can violate the Constitution and remain in power".

`A welcome step'

Welcoming the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee's recent initiative regarding the vexed border dispute with China, Mr. Mahajan said it would go a long way in improving relations with that country. ``The Prime Minister's economic and trade agreements with China is also a welcome step.'' He expressed confidence that opening of the silk route would help in granting recognition to Sikkim as a State of India.

Congratulating Mr. Vajpayee for his successful China tour, Mr. Mahajan said trade agreements between the nations would help in the development of north-eastern States.

`Cong. should apologise'

The Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, while addressing the meeting, demanded that the Congress should publicly apologise for enforcing Emergency in the country during the tenure of the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

"August 9, 1942 and June 25, 1975 are two important dates in the history of India as on August 9 the Quit India Movement was launched, while on June 25, the Congress enforced Emergency in the country thereby arresting senior Opposition leaders, including the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee". "After 28 years of Emergency it is time for the Congress to apologise for this.''

No electoral ties: Naidu

The BJP president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, who chaired the meeting, categorically denied that the party was contemplating entering into an alliance with any political party or formation for the coming assembly polls in four states. "The BJP was getting a good response from the people in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and the `yatras' taken out by the party were proof of this."

`CAS must be consumer-friendly'

Later, Mr. Naidu told reporters that the Conditional Access System, proposed to be implemented from July 15 next, could meet the same fate as VAT if it was not consumer-friendly.

"The touchstone for any such measure is how far it is acceptable to the people and whether people have to pay less or more than they are currently paying." He made the remarks when asked whether the CAS could turn out to be "another onion" for the BJP in Delhi. — PTI, UNI

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