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Nothing illustrated the tension, strain and trauma of the charge
that Bharatiya Janata Party president Lal Krishna Advani had
received money through a hawala operator than the aftermath of the
Delhi High Court judgement quashing the case. It was gay abandon
all the way, with Mr Advani surreptitiously wiping away his tears
of relief. Still in the midst of telephone calls and congratulatory
messages, the 70-year-old Mr Advani talked about the agony of those
trying days as he discussed the political implications of the
Court's judgement. Some exclusive excerpts.
What are the political implications of the Delhi High Court
judgement for the BJP?
When this chargesheet was filed against me, in consultation with my
party colleagues and the approval of the party, I took one of the
most major decisions of my life. Fully conscious that the nature
and pace of litigation in our country being what it is, I took the
stand that until I am absolved of this charge I am not going back
to Parliament. I knew it may practically mean an end of my
parliamentary career.
But I felt that my capacity to contribute to the party and the
cause for which the party stands is not because I am an MP. Even
if I am not an MP I can contribute to the cause and I will continue
to do so though it will mean divesting myself of something which
certainly gives me a great advantage personally and from the
party's point of view.
When the court's decision came, I felt not only has my stand been
vindicated but perhaps my capacity to contribute for the ,cause and
the party has become augmented and has become more than what it was
before the chargesheet was filed.
What impact do you think It will have on the overall political
situation?
Insofar as the overall political situation - and even more so the
immediate prospects of what is likely to happen on the governmental
front - is concerned, I believe that the present crisis in the
Government has arisen because of the tiff between the United Front
and the Congress party.
We have not in any way contributed to the creation of the crisis.
The credibility of both the United Front and the Congress is in
shambles in this particular phase of confrontation.
The result of this is that what used to be the principal trump card
of the Congress party for decades as against the Opposition parties
has been transferred to the BJP.
The Congress used to claim that the Opposition parties cannot
provide stability and that their basis is anti-Congressism which is
negative. So even if these parties succeeded in reducing the
Congress to a minority, and secured a majority by putting
themselves together, their government would never be stable.
I believe that the major transformation in the dynamics of Indian
politics during the last 10-11 months of this Congress-supported
United Front Government is that the stability card, till now held
by the Congress, has slipped out of its hands and has transferred
to the BJP. The general perception in the masses today is that it
is only the BJP which can give a stable government.
It is the Congress and the Janata Dal which would be affected the
most by elections and the losses of these parties would be the
BJP's gain. The regional parties feel they would by and large
maintain their position in Lok Sabha if there are elections.
I believe that the court's decision may be a general dampener for
all these parties. And there may be a greater keenness to avoid a
general election at any cost. If on that count the two combatants
in the field, whose clash of egos has precipitated the crisis, have
to eat some kind of humble pie, then let it be done, so that
somehow an election is somehow avoided, seems to be the feeling.
All this is of course an outside observer's analysis.
Do you think immediate midterm polls, would benefit the BJP more
than one held about six months later?
If the immediate situation there is a psychology in our favour, six
months hence I think the psychology would become stronger. We can
certainly trust the United Front and the Congress to commit such
gaffs again and again.
Further, if we have the time, we will also strengthen ourselves in
different ways. From day one when the crisis erupted, I have been
telling my colleagues that it is a "win-win" situation for the BJP
and we need not be over-bothered about what happens today. Whether
this Government survives or collapses, whether the leader is
changed or not changed, whether the Congress party enters the
Government or continues to support it from outside, I can see
positive points for myself. Whatever happens the overall
impression that this combination is incapable of providing a stable
and good government would become strengthened .
Since the hawala charges were levelled on you, you were said to
have sometimes become despondent. The organisation is said to have
fallen back...
(interrupting) I don't think the organisation has fallen back. But
if any member of the family or household or the head of the
household or a senior member of it is in some practical difficulty
it affects the mood of all. The kind of elation and joy you saw on
the day the court quashed the case would perhaps not have been
there even while forming a government. While the fireworks were on
that day, there were people who stopped by to ask if we had formed
the Government.
As I told you, when I took the decision I took it consciously. I
was fully conscious of the consequences. It was not a question of
a case, but of a charge which tarnished my image of being an
impeccable activist so far as financial matters or personal conduct
are concerned. And then to have it levelled at me from the Prime
Minister's level...
Were you surprised that justice was delivered speedily on this
case?
I am not surprised that justice has been delivered so speedily.
What I regard as remarkable is that the High Court should regard
the case not worth a trial. It is the chargesheet that is being
quashed. And it came from Justice Mohammad Shamim. There were
people who advised me that I should ask for a change of judge. But
I refused.
The case is quashed. But the basic question about the role of
money and of money in politics remains.
Therefore, we started the process of taking money through cheques.
We stuck to it at the top levels. In the Jaipur session of the
party we launched the ajivan sahvogi yojana in which we stressed
that anyone who gives money should do so openly. For instance,
industrialist Raunaq Singh said that he would give money. I told
him that the party would happily take it and his name would go into
the computer record of the party.
You have been associated with the hardline stance of the party on
crucial issues. During the last 15 months You were engrossed with
the hawala case. Now, does one see the resurgence of the hardline
stance?
What is this hardline stance? (laughs). There are people who wonder
how I am called a hardliner. A person should have a flexible
attitude. He should not be stubborn. But that does not mean that
flexibility should imply permissiveness.
The party did push into the background issues like its stand on
Article 370, etc when Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime
Minister.
Mr Vajpayee did not refer to issues which have been distinctive of
the BJP because of the situation. It was a peculiar situation in
which we wanted the support of all. Having been invited to form a
government we wanted some time, some breathing space. So if we had
enunciated our stand on those issues all over again, what possible
support we could have got would also not have come. It was in that
context that Mr Vajpayee said what he did. In fact, when somebody
asked Mr Vajpayee in the House about the party's commitment to
Article 370 and the Uniform Civil Code, his reply was that we did
not have a majority. And then somebody commented "the cat is out
of the bag." So it is not a question of a hardline or a softline
stance....
It was said that during these 15 months you were a different man.
You were diffident..
This is not true. I don't think anybody said that. One or two
persons may have written about this. But I don't agree with this.
It was a burden on my mind no doubt, but I would not agree with
that.
On the day the High Court order came, you said that the hawala
charge was among the most traumatic things that had happened to
you? Did you sleep well all these months?
Yes. Absolutely.
What was the trauma? What was agonising you?
(pauses) It was agonising. As Shakespeare said: "He who steals my
purse, steals trash. But he who steals my fair name, takes away
something that benefits him not."
People accuse the judiciary often. But now that the case has been
quashed what do you have to say?
I have not said anything against the judiciary. I have always said
that there has been a decline in almost all the institutions. But
the judiciary, at least the higher levels, is among the
institutions which has been the least affected by the degradation
of values.
Did you ever regret having taken a vow not to contest elections
until you were cleared of the
No, absolutely not. It was a conscious decision.
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