The Hindu : PM, Advani condemn VHP vandalism

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 19, 2002

Front Page

Front Page

PM, Advani condemn VHP vandalism
By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MARCH 18. Both the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, and the Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani, today cut a sorry figure over the Vishwa Hindu Parishad vandalism in the Orissa Assembly on Saturday. Both condemned the incident in unequivocal terms.

In the Rajya Sabha, during the course of his reply to the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address, Mr. Vajpayee noted with regret that the vandals were heard shouting ``Atal Behari zindabad''. He would rather do without such salutations and, instead, would prefer to die than to live the day when his name was invoked by vandals. ``Mai mar jaana pasand karunga,'' he said.

In the Lok Sabha, it was left to Mr. Advani to apologise for the VHP vandalism. He told the House that he was ashamed by the fact that some members belonging to organisations associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh were involved in the storming of the Orissa Assembly. ``I was pained by the December 13 attack on Parliament, but this incident has ashamed me,'' he said in his reply to the debate on the adjournment motion on the Orissa incident.

Promising all possible help to the State Government in its efforts to hunt, locate and punish those responsible for the attack, Mr. Advani said exemplary punishment must be meted out to all those involved ``even if they belong to my party''. Significantly, he did not respond to the demand by Opposition parties for a ban on the VHP and the Bajrang Dal.

Ayodhya situation

In the Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, today asserted that Ayodhya was fast returning to normality and came close to holding out a threat to arrest the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international working president, Ashok Singhal, in case the latter persisted with his fast (undertaken to demand that restrictions in Ayodhya be removed).

Dismissing Mr. Singhal's fast as unnecessary, the Prime Minister argued that the Government was contemplating a gradual easing of the restrictions, imposed in the wake of the VHP's threat to perform `shila puja' on March 15.

Mr. Vajpayee wondered why Mr. Singhal had undertaken the fast. Perhaps he wanted to keep Parliament occupied with the Ayodhya issue, but as Mr. Vajpayee saw it, enough arguments had been put forth and there was perhaps need for a verbal ceasefire. Mr. Vajpayee said the Government wanted to facilitate the return of Ayodhya to its ways of ``prayer and dedication'', but noted that since Uttar Pradesh was under President's rule, the Centre was keen on seeking the cooperation of all political parties in maintaining peace and harmony.

Singhal ends fast

AYODHYA, MARCH 18. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad international working president, Ashok Singhal, tonight called off his hunger strike, hours after the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh Government lifted curbs on the movement of trains, buses and people in the temple town, meeting one of his key demands.

Mr. Singhal withdrew his stir, which he began yesterday, after being told that the restrictions imposed before the `shila daan' programme by the VHP-Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas had been lifted. _ PTI

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

LS passes POTO Bill

PM, Advani condemn VHP vandalism

Allies, Opposition for ban on VHP, Bajrang Dal

Many minority students in a fix

'Ready for talks without conditions'

PM to visit J&K after budget session

Harbhajan roughed up

Asthana given charge

21 held in shrine attack

Probe into church attack