VHP leaders' entry into disputed site a setback: PM

By Our Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW, OCT. 22. Objecting to the forcible entry by the leaders of the

Vishwa Hindu Parishad in the disputed site at Ayodhya, the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, said here today that such incidents should not recur and hoped that security forces would be more vigilant in future.

Speaking to presspersons at the Raj Bhavan, Mr. Vajpayee denied that the incident was a deliberate attempt to polarise votes in the coming elections to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. Such incidents would only reduce the BJP votes and hamper the ongoing talks to resolve the Ayodhya dispute.

The Prime Minister declined to give details of the talks but said there was no possibility of constructing a Ram temple in the manner in which the Babri structure was demolished in 1992. It could be done only if there was a judgment in favour of the temple or there was a negotiated settlement of the dispute.

Referring to the alleged incidents of harassment of Hindus in Bangladesh by the supporters of the new Government, Mr. Vajpayee said New Delhi was in touch with Dhaka on the issue. The Bangladesh Government was discouraging such incidents. India had also taken a serious view of the construction of pandals for Durga Puja in Bangladesh.

Mr. Vajpayee said there was complete understanding between his Government and the BJP, contrary to the impression created by his speech yesterday at the special session of the party's national council. (Mr. Vajpayee had said there was a communication gap between the party and the Government). He subsequently found that the PMO had received all the messages from the party in time.

On whether the BJP was drifting towards the old Jana Sangh ideology, Mr. Vajpayee said his party had never rejected its own ideology. While forming the National Democratic Alliance, the BJP had decided to keep the contentious issues on the backburner as had the other constituents.

The Prime Minister participated in many programmes in the course of his one-day visit, which included the inauguration of a seminar on the role of voluntary organisations in the development of Uttar Pradesh and the foundation ceremony of a convention hall at the King George's Medical College.

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