HVK Archives: BJP unequivocally committed to secularism
BJP unequivocally committed to secularism - Indian Express
L K Advani
()
12 Dec 1992.
Title : BJP unequivocally committed to Secularism
(Part One of Two)
Publication : Indian Express
Date : Dec 12, 1992. (Date is correct!)
Author: L K Advani
LAST year, a Calcutta daily asked me to identify a day or
moment in my life which I regarded as my happiest. I
named October 30, 1990, and more specifically, the
moment I heard the BBC broadcast that kar sevaks had
overcome all obstacles and broken all barriers put up by
the Mulayam Singh Government. penetrated into Ayodhya
and
performed kar seva.
Ironically, this year's kar seva day at Ayodhya. December
6, turned out to be one of the most depressing days in
my life. Of course, most others there were ecstatic with
joy, a mood I just could not share. I have seldom felt
as dejected and downcast as I felt that day.
My sadness. however, did not stem from any
disenchantment
with the Ayodhya movement or with the path the party had
chosen for itself, or, as the trite phrase goes, that we
had been riding a tiger which we could not dismount. In
fact, the post-demolition developments have fully
vindicated our misgivings about the opponents of this
movement, and have reinforced our resolve to pursue the
path more vigorously.
There were three very specific reasons for my distress.
Firstly. I felt sad that the December 6 happenings had
impaired the BJP's and RSS's reputation as organisations
capable of enforcing discipline. True, a very large
percentage of the over two lakhs assembled at Ayodbya
were not members either of the BJP or of the RSS. But
that did not absolve us of our responsibility.
Secondly, 1 felt sad that a meticulously drawn up plan Of
action where under the UP Government was steadily
marching forward towards discharging its mandate
regarding temple-construction, without violating any law
or disregarding any court order, had gone awry.
The BJP's action-plan contemplated delinking the dispute
about the structure from commencing construction at the
shilanyas site (within the 2.77 acres of acquired land),
negotiating about the structure while the construction
work proceeded apace. and. if negotiations failed,
resorting to legislation. If State legislation was
blocked by the Centre, we intended to seek a national
mandate. We were thus working towards achieving our
objective peacefully, and by the due process of law.
Not only the BJP, but the RSS, the VHP and the Santa
were all agreed on this approach. If the exercise
contemplated has now been short-circuited in a totally
unforeseen manner, the above organisations can certainly
be blamed for not being able to judge the impatience of
the people participating in the movement. No one can deny
that the manner in which courts had been dragging their
feet on all issues relating to Ayodhya..and the
obstructive and obtuse role of the Central Government
had tried the patience of the people to the almost limit.
The third and most important reason, for my unhappiness
that day was that, in my perception the day's incidents
would affect the BJP's overall image (not electoral
prospects) adversely. and, to that extent, our cause
would suffer a temporary setback.
When I speak of a setback I am not at all thinking in
political terms. In fact, politically, these events have
boosted the BSP's poll prospects no end. The Congress,
the JD, the Communists - all are frantically exerting to
ensure that no elections are held for at least a year.
After the three State Assemblies controlled by the BJP
were dissolved. Congreis spokesman V.N.Gadgil
said-that
elections would be held within six months. It did not
take Mr Ariun Singh even 24 hours to come forth with a
contradiction, saying that polls in these three States
would be held after one year! In a recent article (The
Hidustan Times, December 17, 1992), Mr S.Sabay, former
editor, Statesman, has noted : "The feedback is that
were elections to be held today in Uttar Pradesh.
Congress candidates would find it-difficult to retain
their d@sits." Reports pouring in from other parts of the
country are no different.
Despite what oar adversaries have been saying about us
day in and day out, we have never regarded Ayodbya as a
ladder to power. Through this movement the BJP has only
intensified its on going crusade against the politics of
vote-banks, and the politcs of minorityism, which we
believe is gravely undermining the fabric of national
unity.
The Ayodhya movement, according to the BJP, is not just
for building a temple. It is a mass movement - the
biggest since Independence - to reaffirm the nation's
cultural identity. This reaformation alone, we hold, can
provide an enduring basis for national unity, and
besides, the dynamo for a resurgent, resolute and modern
India.
It is slanderous to say that the Ayodhya movement is an
assault on secularism. It is wrong to describe even the
demolition of the Babri structure as negation of
secularism. The demolition is more related to lack of a
firm commitment in the general masses to the Rule of Law,
and an exasperation with the frustrating sluggishness of
the judicial process.
I remember very well the Bhagalpur episode of some years
back. The whole country felt outraged that under trial
prisoners - they may have been notorious dacoits - should
be so cruelly blinded by policemen. But when I visited
Bhagalpur 1 was surprised to find that among the people
at large there was little disapproval of what the police
had done. Many lawyers of Bhagalpur actually came out in
defence of the police action!
The BJP is unequivocally cormation.
Unfortunately, for four decades in the name of serular-
ism, politicians have been wanting the nation to disown
its essential personality. For the Left-inclined, secu-
larism has become a euphemism to cloak their intense
allergy religion, and more particularly Hinduism.
It is this attitude which the BJP characterises as pseu-
do-secularism This attitude is wrong and unscientific.
Coupled with the weakness of political parties for vote
banks, it becomes perverse and baneful.
In October, 1990, the day Mr V. P. Singh stopped the
Ratha Yatra, and put me and my colleagues in the Yatra
behind bars, Mr A.B.Vajpayee called on the Rashtrapati,
and informed him the BJP had withdrawn support to the
National Front Government. It was obvious to all that
VP's Government had been reduced to a hopeless
minority.
But VP did not resign. Instead, he convened a special
session of Parliament to vote on a confidence motion
tabled by him. He said he was doing so mainly to
precipita a debate on secularism and communalism.
We
welcomed the debate, and challenged VP not to confine it
to the four walls of Parliament. but to take it to the
people.
VP was defeated in Parliament that day. But he shied away
from accepting our challenge. Events nevertheless move
inexorably towards the trial of strength we had asked
for. Seven months later people went to the polls to elect
the country's Tenth Lok Sabha. Unlike as in 1989, when we
were part of an opposition combine, the BJP fought the
election all opposition party in the Lok Sabha.
What has gratified us all along is not merely that our
numerical strength in 'Parliament and the State
Legislature has been growing at a rapid pace, but that
acceptance of our ideology in all sections of society and
at all levels has been simultaneously growing.
A silent minority even among the Muslims has been
building up which appreciates that the BJP is not
anti Muslim as its enemies have been trying to depict it,
and, more importantly, the BSP leadership means what it
says. and says what it means, and is not hypocritical
like other political parties. The BJP Government's track
record in the matter of preserving communal peace in
their respective States has added considerably to the
BJP's credibility in this regard.
It is the process of widening acceptability of the BJP's
ideology within the country, and also among people of
Indian origin overseas. which has upset our opponents the
most. It is this process precisely which may be somewhat
decelerated by the December 6 events. I have little
doubt, however, that the party can, with proper planning
and effort. soon get overcome this phase.
(To be concluded)
Indian Express invites contributions reflecting diverse
shades of opinion on the Ayodhya issue)
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