The Hindu : National : Singhal rejects compromise on temple issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 01, 2004

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National

Singhal rejects compromise on temple issue

By Our Special Correspondent

VADTAL (GUJARAT), OCT. 31. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international president, Ashok Singhal, today virtually rejected any compromise on the Ram Janmabhoomi temple issue.

In a rebuff to the BJP and its president, L. K. Advani, who had been advocating a compromise between the Hindus and Muslims, Mr. Singhal said: "The Muslims in India do not believe in compromise." Hindus could not indefinitely wait for a compromise formula to emerge, he said.

Addressing a public meeting during a nine-day development training camp for full-time workers of the VHP here, he said the BJP should either return to the Hindutva fold or give up its association with the VHP. The VHP, he said, could dump the BJP but not the Ram Janmabhoomi temple.

He expressed concern over the "rapid growth" of the Muslim population and said if this continued, Hindus would be `reduced to a minority' by 2060.

Apparently disagreeing with the contention that the BJP was the political front of the Sangh Parivar, he said Hindus should form their own political party. No one could stop them from doing this and it was bound to become a reality sooner than later, he warned. The international general secretary, Pravin Togadia, said the Government should enact a law to enforce the two-child norm.

Mr. Singhal criticised former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He said Mr. Vajpayee had no faith in "Hindu rashtra," nor did the BJP Government led by him work for the Hindus. "The reality is now before the BJP for giving up Hindutva," he said. Both criticised the Centre's proposal for job reservation for Muslims and said before taking any such step the Government should provide jobs to the 10 crore jobless Hindus.

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