Temple not on NDA agenda: Venkaiah Naidu

PANAJI, DEC. 9. The Union Rural Development Minister, Mr. Venkaiah Naidu, today reiterated that the Ayodhya temple issue was not on the agenda of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). ``We are committed to the NDA agenda and there will be no deviation or dilution to it'', he said.

Referring to the controversy on the Prime Minister's recent statement on the issue, Mr. Naidu said, ``The Prime Minister has not said anything new. He has not given any judgment.''

Ruling out the resignations of the Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, the HRD Minister, Mr. Murli Manohar Joshi and the Sports Minister, Ms. Uma Bharti, Mr. Naidu said the Opposition had run out of issues. ``What is the reason for the Opposition to demand their resignation'', he asked and added ``it has raised the issue without any reason or provocation''.

In Morena the former BJP president, Mr. Kushabhau Thakre, said the struggle waged by the three Union Ministers in the Ayodhya movement cannot be termed a criminal act. ``Neither had they taken bribe nor misused power'', he said adding, ``Congress which has no other issue left is raising it to save its identity''.

In Lucknow, the Samajwadi Party president, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav, said today that the recent statement by the Prime Minister on the Ayodhya issue was a pre-planned move to arrest the declining vote bank of the BJP by dividing communities. He termed the statement as unconstitutional and amounting to contempt of court as the matter was still sub-judice.

The Nationalist Congress Party today, in New Delhi, sought the resignation of the Prime Minister for his ``blatant fascist statement'' on the Ayodhya issue. The party general secretary, Mr. Tariq Anwar, said that it was ``unbecoming'' of the Prime Minister to comment on an issue which was sub-judice. ``Mr. Vajpayee is playing the communal card to hide his failures on major issues and divert attention from the plight of farmers, price rise and unemployment.''

The CPI(M)(L) general secretary, Mr. Dipankar Bhattacharya also condemned the Prime Minister's statements.

- PTI, UNI

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : National
Previous : Minister clarifies PM's remarks
Next     : Withdraw support, Imam tells NDA allies