National   

'VHP ready to apologise to Advani'

New Delhi Nov. 24. After being snubbed by the Bharatiya Janata Party for ``hastily reacting'' to the Deputy Prime Minister, L. K. Advani's reported remarks that India would never be a Hindu state, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad today retracted and said it was ready to apologise for the reaction triggered ``due to the confusion created by the electronic media.''

``We have studied the parliamentary proceedings of the day and he had merely said that India will not be a theocratic state. While the country is a geographical entity, the state is a political unit and nation (rashtra) is a cultural concept,'' the VHP senior vice-president, Acharya Giriraj Kishore, told reporters here.

Conceding that the VHP's outburst against Mr. Advani was ``in haste,'' Acharya Kishore blamed the electronic media for creating the ``confusion.''

``I am ready to apologise but the electronic media must exercise restraint while reporting such issues.''

Reacting strongly to Mr. Advani's statement in Parliament on the issue, the VHP international working president, Ashok Singhal, had said ``there was no need for Advani to say that. It would send a wrong message and cause damage. It smacks of pseudo-secularism and minority appeasement and does not reflect that the BJP is a party with a difference.''

Digvijay condemned

Acharya Kishore demanded a public apology from the Madhya Pradash Chief Minister, Digvijay Singh, for having participated in the recent International Buddhist Convention in Bhopal where a book containing ``highly objectionable'' comments about Lord Krishna and Goddess Sita was sold. The book, Mahabharat Ke Mahapatra, described Lord Krishna as ``a cowherd, characterless and a lecherous person who later become a king.''

The book also made ``highly objectionable'' references to Goddess Sita questioning her chastity. The M.P. unit of the VHP would meet tomorrow to decide its future course of action, he said. — PTI, UNI

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National

News: | Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Panel draft report `almost' ready
• Leaders condemn attack on temples
• CPI(M) to campaign for `strongest secular' candidate
• Suspense over Ellisbridge seat ends
• C'wealth meet calls for global effort against terrorism
• Parliament attack case judgment on Dec. 11
• Crush terrorism, says Kanchi seer
• Bank staff plan protest against privatisation
• Left asked to fight fascist forces
• Pallone for reimposition of sanctions on Pak.
• Deadlock over Bill on female foeticide continues
• Drought-resistant rice could be a boon
• SC fiat on higher pay for dt. judges
• Cong. dissidents ransack party office in Gujarat
• 'Huge investments needed for 8 p.c. growth rate'
• New railway line for J&K
• Nod for 23 oil exploration blocks
• Cauvery meet fails to resolve differences between T.N., Karnataka
• 'VHP ready to apologise to Advani'

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu