Vajpayee to revive Ayodhya cell

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, OCT. 10. The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, has assured the Vishwa Hindu Parishad that he will be reviving the Ayodhya cell in the Prime Minister's Office soon and that the Ayodhya problem would be sorted out by the March 12 deadline, set by the Dharam Sansad at the Kumbh Mela in January.

Two VHP leaders - Paramhans Ramchandra Das, president of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, and Mr. Ashok Singhal, international working president - met Mr. Vajpayee for about an hour on Tuesday. It is said they tried to press Mr. Vajpayee to hand over the ``undisputed land'' (about 40 acres) to the VHP-run trust to enable it to start construction of four outer gates of the proposed Ram temple complex. However, the proposal did not find favour with the Prime Minister, sources close to the VHP said.

But, the VHP leaders extracted a commitment from the Prime Minister to reactivate the Ayodhya cell, which could follow the negotiations on the Ayodhya issue. Mr. Vajpayee had claimed that negotiations were continuing (presumably between Hindu and Muslim leaders) but he was not willing to say where these were taking place and between whom. Several Muslim leaders had denounced the claim and stated that no known Muslim leader was involved in the negotiations.

At a press conference here today, Paramhans Ramchandra said Mr. Vajpayee had assured him and Mr. Singhal that he would ``sort out the problem by March 12'' and ``set up an Ayodhya cell''. Mr Singhal hoped that Mr. Vajpayee would hand over the land acquired by the Centre around the disputed site to enable the VHP to build `gopur dwars' for the proposed temple.

Although the VHP has repeatedly denied that its attempt to revive the Ayodhya issue at this time is not connected to the coming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the timing of its proposed agitation coincides with the U.P. election. At the Kumbh Mela, the VHP-led Dharam Sansad had announced the plan for a ``chetavani yatra'' (procession of sadhus marching to Parliament) in the early part of the budget session. So far there is no change in the plan, but some in the BJP feel that at this juncture when the global focus is on `jehadi' terrorist groups, the BJP-led Government may not want a display of Hindu fundamentalism and would, therefore, discourage the VHP. In fact, the setting up of an Ayodhya cell in the PMO now may be a way out.

`Bamiyan demolition led to Taliban's doom'

PTI reports:

The demolition of the world famous statues of Bamiyan Buddhas by the Taliban in Afghanistan earlier this year has led the militia to its doom, Paramahams Ramchandra said. ``It is the curse of the gods. The seeds of Taliban's destruction were sown the day they blew up the Bamiyan Buddhas and slaughtered hundreds of cows''.

He made the observation to substantiate his point with reference to the Ram Janmabhoomi issue that ``idols were not lifeless''.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : National
Previous : Why JeM is not banned?
Next     : BJP in no mood to change Uttaranchal CM now