HVK Archives: Vajpayee brings back Hindutva on BJP's agenda
Vajpayee brings back Hindutva on BJP's agenda - Times of India
News service
()
7 June 1996
Title : Vajpayee brings back Hindutva on BJP's agenda
Author : News service
Publication : Times of India
Date : June 7, 1996
Former prime minister Atal Behari Vaipayee on Monday
advocated the cause of Hindutva in a clear indication
that the BJP plans to reinforce its saffron agenda in
anticipation of a mid-term poll.
Asserting that Hindutva was synonymous with nationalism
and "Bharateeyatva," Mr Vajpayee argued that the concept
did not merit further debate as the supreme court had
defined it in totality in its judgment last year.
"Hindutva is an all accepted credo. it's a way of life,"
Mr Vajpayee declared while addressing a well-attended
public meeting at Shivaji Park on Monday evening.
The former prime minister also demanded a national debate
on secularism to define its scope and nature in the
national context. Mr Vajpayee's 40-minute speech, laced
with humour, was almost a preface to the Shiv Sena-BJP
combine campaign for the next Lok Sabha elections which
the BJP stalwart felt would be held "very soon."
Predicting that, the United Front government at the
Centre would disintegrate under the burden of its own
contradictions, Mr Vaipayee expressed confidence that
the BJP and its friendly parties would win a thumping
majority in the next elections.
He was critical of the infiltration of illegal
immigrations from Bangla-desh and warned that the exodus
was putting considerable strain on the country's
exchequet.
Citing AICC spokesmanv. N. Gadgil's statement in Pune
that the Congress needs to reconsider its policy of
secularism, Mr Vajpayee remarked that the Congress felt
the urgency for a review in view of the party's debacle
in the Lok Sabha elections.
"is it secular to declare a public holiday on the birth
anniversary of Prophet Mohammad? is it secular to allow
more one crore illegal immigrants from Bangladesh to
sneak into India," he asked.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray came down heavily on the
United Front partners for forming the government with
Congress support. Describing Mr Vajpayee as a national
hero, Mr Thackeray ridiculed the Deve Gowda government
for being a puppet in the hands of former prime minister
P. V. Narasimha Rao.
Reminding the gathering that crackers were lit following
the downfall of the BJP government last week in
minority-dominated areas such as Malegaon and Bhendi
Bazar in Mumbai, the Sena chief warned that Hindutva
forces would not tolerate such incidents anymore.
"We are willing to love the Muslims, but the Muslims too
should learn to love us," he remarked. Mr Thackeray said
his party was prepared for a mid-term poll and predicted
an early downfall of the United Front government. "I
give a curse to the United Front government. They will
fight amongst themselves and collapse," he added.
There was heavy police bandobast at the meeting which
ended at about 8.45 p.m. following instructions from the
city police, it is learnt.
Earlier, addressing a press conference at the Indian
Merchants' Chamber, Mr Vajpayee pointed out to Prime
Minister Deve Gowda that "Marx and market do not mix,"
apparently referring to finance minister P.Chidambaram,
that an architect of the pro-rich policy of the erstwhile
Congress government had been entrusted with the task of
implementing the so-called common programme of the UF.
"By the time this realisation dawns, the United Front
government would have gone," he predicted.
The former prime minister was in Mumbai on the first leg
of his nationwide tour to inobilise public opinion
against the "opportunistic" Deve Gowda government.
"The people are not amused by the spectacle of a prime
minister pledging his commitment to the previous
government's policies even as he remains a hostage to the
support of dogmatic communists for his survival," the
BJP leader stated.
Mr Vajpayee said the BJP would vote against the United
Front ministry when it moved the vote of confidence in
the Lok Sabha. However, he asserted that the party would
extend cooperation to the Deve Gowda gov- ernment on
"Issues of national importance". He declined to
speculate how long the new government would last.
He said he had no regrets about having formed the former
BJP government and maintained that the efforts of other
parties to isolate the BJP had failed, "The DMK, for
instance, had adopted a positive attitude towards us.
But, because of certain compulsions it would not support
my government," he observed. He maintained that the BJP
had emerged as a, clear national alternative.
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