National
'VHP firm on land transfer'
By Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, JAN. 23. The main aim of the ongoing `chetavani sant yatra' is to pressure the Centre to hand over to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad-controlled trust the 67 or so acres of land acquired by the Government in 1993, it was indicated here today.
``That will be the main slogan of the `sants' during this `yatra' which left Ayodhya on January 20/21,'' Ashok Singhal, international working president of the VHP, said here today.
The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, had been given 15 months to do this and the VHP took this decision at the Kumbh mela in January last year. No more time would be given. The VHP expected the Government to hand over the land by March, he said.
A VHP delegation will meet Mr. Vajpayee on January 27, after the meeting of the Marg Darshak Mandal in which about 250 `sants' will take part. Apparently, the mandal decision on starting construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya expected to be taken at this meeting will be conveyed to the Prime Minister.
The January 27 meeting is to be preceded by a meeting of the Mandir Nirman Samiti (committee for the construction of the temple) on January 26. In mid-march in Bangalore, the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha of the RSS is also expected to discuss the issue of temple construction and favour any decision taken by the Mandir Nirman Samiti.
Mr. Singhal said that neither the VHP nor the `sants' were in any mood to postpone construction further. There was no war, elections were on, why not the VHP programme?
Having persuaded the `sants' that a favourable Government's decision was coming, the VHP is anxious that the Government give it at least some piece of the acquired land in Ayodhya so that some construction can begin to keep its Ram temple agitation followers happy.
Once again, Mr. Singhal said today that the AIADMK leader, Ms. Jayalalitha, and the NDA convener, George Fernandes, were in agreement with the VHP that there could be no legal hurdles in the way of the Centre handing back to the VHP the land acquired by it from the VHP-controlled Ram Janmabhoomi Trust.
Mr. Singhal refused any responsibility for the maintenance of law and order during the `yatra', saying it had been peaceful so far, ``but, who can guarantee no terrorist organisation will play mischief,'' he asked.
The star VHP `sant' Ramchandra Paramhans, had indeed said, ``Ayodhya bachao, Bhajpa hatao (save Ayodhya, defeat the BJP)'', Mr. Singhal confirmed, but that was in anger against certain strict security measures taken in and around the makeshift temple. After his intervention, the problem was solved in minutes.
The CPI(M) and the CPI(ML) condemned the BJP leadership and the Centre in the issue and charged that the VHP's `chetavani yatra' was designed to `vitiate' the atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh.
The CPI(M) politburo charged the BJP with fully supporting the VHP programme by allowing its MPs to take part in it. Inflammatory speeches had been made against the minorities. ``At the time of the Assembly election campaign, the BJP is playing a dangerous game by conniving with such a yatra,'' the statement said. Top Government officials had relaxed the security restrictions in Ayodhya only to meet the demands of VHP leader Paramhans and coax him into taking part in the `yatra', it said.
The CPI(ML) said the yatra was an attempt to `fan communal frenzy'' and ``hold the country to ransom over Ayodhya''.
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