The Hindu : Suspend movement, PM tells VHP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 28, 2002

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Suspend movement, PM tells VHP
By Harish Khare

NEW DELHI, FEB. 27. The Vajpayee Government and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad today found themselves inching towards a confrontation over the Ayodhya dispute. The dominant official mood seems to be to ensure that the demands of law and order take precedence over any past or current soft corner for the VHP leaders and their cause. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, in particular, appears to be in a mood to call the VHP bluff.

Preparing for an inevitable show-down with the `mandir' proponents, the Prime Minister late tonight cancelled his visit to Australia, where he was scheduled to lead India's delegation at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. The External Affairs Minister, Jaswant Singh, will now represent the country.

In the evening, in an effort to impress upon the VHP leaders the seriousness of the Government's intent to fulfill its constitutional obligations, the Prime Minister invited the VHP leader, Ashok Singhal, for a discussion. Mr. Singhal was accompanied by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader, Madan Das Devi (who liaises between the BJP and the Sangh) and Rama Jois, a retired judge who is said to be well-versed with the legal entanglements of the Ayodhya dispute.

Besides Mr. Vajpayee, the Government side was represented by the Home Minister, L.K.Advani, his Defence counterpart, Mr. George Fernandes (who recently had confabulations with the Kanchi Sankaracharya), and the Union Law Minister, Arun Jaitley (who has been asked by the Prime Minister to examine the `legal' aspects of the Ayodhya dispute).

On their part, the `mandir' leaders are believed to have pressed their point of view that the Centre could easily _ and without any legal encumbrance _ hand over the ``undisputed land'' in Ayodhya to the Ramjanmabhoomi Trust. Mr. Vajpayee told them that the Government would find it a difficult demand to concede. Nonetheless, undeterred by the rejection of an earlier appeal by Acharya Giriraj Kishore, another `mandir' leader, the Prime Minister once again appealed to the VHP to suspend its `movement'. The VHP leaders, however, appear to have spurned the appeal and have instead opted for confrontation with the Government.

Earlier in the day, both Mr. Vajpayee and Mr. Advani came pretty close to warning the VHP that the ``kar sevaks'' would not be allowed to disturb the status quo in Ayodhya. While regretting the outbreak of violence in Gujarat, Mr. Vajpayee made it clear that the Government's stand had already been spelled out. He was referring to the commitment made in the President's address in Parliament that the Government was duty bound to maintain the court-decreed status quo in Ayodhya.

Mr. Vajpayee, who was talking to newsmen at Hyderabad House, reminded the VHP leadership that his Government had secured the backing of all the political parties and warned that violence and confrontation would not help resolve the dispute.

Advani's warning

But much more significant was the statement issued, in the morning, by Mr. Advani. He warned that ``if, however, they (VHP leaders) persist in their present approach, the Government of India would not hesitate to take action against those who defy court orders or create problems for law and order.''

Even though Mr. Advani acknowledged his ``proud association'' with the Ayodhya movement, he noted that ``it is the duty of Government _in this case, both Central as well as State_to ensure that court orders are not violated by anyone.''

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