The Hindu : BJP may adopt separate resolution on Ayodhya

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 16, 2003

National

National

BJP may adopt separate resolution on Ayodhya

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI JULY 15. For the first time since the BJP assumed power at the Centre, it will be holding a full-fledged discussion on Ayodhya at a national executive committee meeting. And for the first time since its Palampur resolution of 1989, which asserted its commitment in support of a Ram temple at the very spot where the Babri Masjid stood, there is a chance that the party will adopt a separate resolution on Ayodhya at its Raipur meeting starting July 18.

``All aspects of the Ayodhya issue will be discussed at the Raipur meeting. If the executive decides to adopt a separate resolution, it will be done,'' the general secretary and spokesperson of the BJP, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, said today after a meeting at the residence of the party president, Venkaiah Naidu, to discuss the Raipur agenda. Another party leader who attended today's meeting later said it was decided to have a separate resolution on Ayodhya.

The Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, general secretaries, Pramod Mahajan, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Anita Arya, and Mr. Naqvi and parliamentary chief whip, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, were present at today's meeting.

After Mr. Advani's recent statement ruling out legislation on Ayodhya, there is hardly any doubt that the BJP will state its case that this option was not possible as it did not enjoy a majority on its own in Parliament.

The discussion, it seems, will be taken up to give the appropriate message to its own cadre, to the Hindutva constituency, and especially to Sangh Parivar organisations such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad which have been stridently demanding that the party bring forth an Ayodhya legislation to meet its own Palampur commitment even if it fails in getting it passed.

At Palampur, the BJP had stated: ``the nature of this (Ayodhya) controversy is such that it just cannot be sorted out by a court of law...the sentiments of the people must be respected, and Ram Janmasthan handed over to the Hindus — if possible through a negotiated settlement, or else, by legislation.''

By 1998, when the BJP formed a coalition Government at the Centre, its stand changed to: negotiated settlement or a court verdict. However, the Sangh Parivar would like the BJP to stick to its legislation commitment made in Palampur.

The women's reservation issue is also expected to figure prominently. There are enough indications that the party is veering around to supporting the double-member constituency proposal for one-third (or less) of all Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies. This has been vigorously put forward by Mr. Malhotra who is also the parliamentary party spokesperson of the BJP.

The meeting itself will be dedicated to fine-tuning strategies for the Assembly polls this year, nicknamed `Operation 2003' by the party, and the Lok Sabha polls next year described as `Mission 2004'. The details of the 25-point programme suggested at the Hyderabad meeting of the party's state presidents would also be worked out.

Mr. Naqvi today reiterated that the Lok Sabha elections would be fought by the party under the leadership of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee. As for the issue of the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi's Italian birth, Mr. Naqvi said it was a ``problem for the Congress, not the BJP'' although he did not rule out a discussion on this at the Raipur conclave. ``Discussion can take place (`ho sakta hai'),'' he said cryptically.

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