The Hindu : BJP's communal agenda not acceptable: Naidu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 18, 2002

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BJP's communal agenda not acceptable: Naidu

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD MARCH 17. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has criticised the BJP and other parties for projecting the Ayodhya dispute as a burning issue, ``which has now begun to threaten national unity and integrity''.

Addressing the concluding session of a training camp for party activists at NTR Bhavan here, Mr. Naidu said the ``communal agenda'' being pursued by these parties was not acceptable to the TDP.

The TDP was in favour of leaving the Ayodhya issue to the courts as there was no consensus among the contending parties and religious leaders. Efforts to bring the political parties around on this issue also did not bear fruit.

``We want to leave it to the court. We are prepared to make any sacrifice to preserve and protect communal harmony,'' he said.

Expressing concern over the communal riots in Gujarat, Mr. Naidu said his Government had dealt with the communal elements firmly. `Ram sevaks' from different parts of the State were prevented from moving towards Ayodhya.

The Chief Minister also took a dig at the Congress. ``I would like to see the Congress learn lessons from its mistakes. But it looks as if it will never change. Hence there is no threat to our party.''

Taking a swipe at Congress leaders who talked about training for their partymen, he said ``they may require training in wrestling.'' The reference was to the squabbles in the party.

Mr. Naidu urged partymen to rebut the ``false propaganda'' of the Congress about supplying power free of cost to the farmers, which was a ploy to capture power by hook or crook.

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