Kashmir policy draws flak

By Neena Vyas

NAGPUR, AUG. 26. It is on the twin issues of `swadeshi' economics and the Kashmir policy that the Bharatiya Janata Party's national executive committee, which met here today, heard some strong criticism of the Government policy and its handling of the issues. It was a battle for supremacy between the hardlines, whose views are close to those of the RSS, and others who are only too keen on following the Vajpayee line dictated by his Government's policies.

While the `swadeshi' battle is already too familiar, it was on Kashmir, especially the killing of Amarnath pilgrims, that some members, including Ms. Sushma Swaraj, Mr. Chaman Lal Gupta and Mr. Sahib Singh Verma, raised their voice demanding a full internal discussion on what had gone wrong. The argument was that while they would defend the Government policy outside, the national executive must face facts squarely and discuss the growing violence and terrorism in Kashmir that the Government policy has been unable to check.

The national executive committee meeting here opened with the address by the outgoing president, Mr. Kushabhau Thakre, who made a passing reference to the RSS, which is headquarterd here. He simply said the ``Sangh'' had always been ``our teacher''. It was through ``self-reliance'' that the country could move forward, not by depending on others. But he did not elaborate.

The RSS has already given an indication that it stood firm for `swadeshi' economics and was against a number of policy initiatives taken by the Government. And on Kashmir there has been a clear signal that it would like to see a firmer approach. It has, through its various wings, demanded that Jammu and Kashmir be declared a disturbed State.

The two resolutions - one on economic policy and the other on the political situation are expected to be finalised after the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister arrive. And the party spokesperson, Mr. M. Venkaiah Naidu, left no one in doubt that it was the Vajpayee line which would prevail. He refused to be drawn into any controversy over the reported hawkish statements emanating from the RSS. ``I am the BJP spokesperson, not the RSS spokesperson,'' he emphasised, adding if the press perceived any differences it should know now that the two were separate organisations.

Tomorrow the national council session will begin with an address by the new party president, Mr. Bangaru Laxman. He has already given enough hints about the direction of the party, away from its old ideological moorings. The party seems all set to take forward the process of dilution of its earlier ideology, the process which began in Bangalore a year and a half ago and was taken further in Chennai earlier this year.

In his speech, Mr. Thakre dwelt on various achievements of the Vajpayee Government - Pokhran-II, Kargil, international relations with the United States and Japan, and a new stability given by the Government to coalition politics. He admitted that the 1998 Vajpayee Government was caught in some inner problems because of the ``selfishness'' of some groups of the NDA, a direct reference to the AIADMK and its leader, Ms. Jayalalitha.

Ayodhya on backburner

The core issues of the Bharatiya Janata Party - Ram Janmabhoomi, abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and implementation of a uniform civil code - are no longer acceptable currency. The people have rejected these, Mr. Bangaru Laxman who will take charge as BJP president here tomorrow, has said.

Speaking informally to a group of reporters on way to the party session, Mr. Laxman pointed out that the BJP had committed itself to the manifesto of the National Democratic Alliance before the 1999 Lok Sabha polls. Also it arrived at the conclusion that the people were no longer interested in these issues (``in muddon ke liye janta mein bhi ruchi to honi chahiye''). The issues were no longer acceptable currency as often issues had a limited life (``muddon ki currency khatam ho gayee''). Finally, it was not these issues alone which led to the growth of the BJP in the 1990s.

Mr. Laxman was at pains to discount the party's aggressive Hindutva past and downplay the role of Mr. L. K. Advani's campaign declaring Hindutva the BJP's ideological mascot. He emphasised that the party grew rapidly after having reached its nadir of two Lok Sabha seats in 1984, because it took up issues concerning farmers, Adivasis, Dalits, fishermen and others. ``Ayodhya was already an issue when the BJP took it up,'' he said.

Defending the Vajpayee Government's neglect of `swadeshi' economics, he said since the days of the Jan Sangh, the party had strongly opposed the ``licence, permit, quota raj'' established under the Congress Governments.

Giving up or downplaying the core issues was a result of intense discussions within the party between the 12th and the 13th Lok Sabhas. ``We discussed the issues threadbare before going for a common NDA agenda.''

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