HVK Archives: BJP no longer untouchable: Advani
BJP no longer untouchable: Advani - The Hindu
Posted By Ashok V Chowgule (ashokvc@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in)
21 May 1997
Title : BJP no longer untouchable: Advani
Author :
Publication : The Hindu
Date : May 21, 1997
The fodder scam in Bihar has implications for the future of the
main constituent of the United Front, Mr. L. K. Advani, BJP
president. has said.
"The probe has been dragging feet for quite some time and the BJP
and its ally in Bihar, the Samata Party, will continue to mobilise
public opinion in Bihar, so that the issue is decided at the
earliest," he told presspersons here today.
Mr. Advani was reacting to the observations made by the Patna High
Court on Monday, questioning the need for Governor's sanction to
rile chargesheet against the Chief Minister, Mr. Laloo Prasad
Yadav, in the fodder seam. He said, "I can only hope that this
issue of fodder seam will soon be brought to a head".
On his assessment of the CBI's credibility and performance, Mr.
Advani said: "This is the premier investigating agency of the
country and its performance has not inspired confidence. However,
I believe in democracy. The Government, and not institutions and
instruments, is to blame. It is a department which has been
working directly under the Prime Minister since long. Therefore,
it is wrong to make one particular institution or instrument the
scapegoat for the failures of Government," he said.
On whether it was right to demand the resignation of ministers
whenever the CBI chargesheeted them, as the agency lacked
credibility according to him, Mr. Advani said: "Traditionally, a
person who has been chargesheeted quits office. If an officer is
chargesheeted, he is suspended. In the case of political leader
who is a minister, the expectations are high," he added.
On the prospects of midterm polls to the Lok Sabha, he felt it
would be difficult for the United Front Government to survive 1997,
as it was a Government without a mandate. Its largest constituent
had a strength of less than the quorum of the Lok Sabha. It was
sustained by the larger party, from outside. The instability was
multiplied manifold in the circumstance, he added.
Asked how he proposed to tackle the political parties which were
treating the BJP as an 'untouchable', he insisted that the
impression that the party was "friendless" had lost relevance since
1996. There was a sea change. Until 1995, the BJP had a solitary
alliance with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. Now it had formidable
allies in the Samata Party in Bihar, the Akali Dal in Punjab, the
Haryana Vikas Party in Haryana and the BSP in U.P.
The BJP had cordial relations with the party launched by Lakshmi
Parvathi in Andhra Pradesh. "The party does not propose to have any
change in its approach vis-a-vis other parties. The BJP did not
believe in political untouchability. We hold that regional
chauvinism, regional bigotry, is wrong. But, if a party confines
itself to promoting the interests of a State or a region, nobody
can have any objection."
"The State units of the party have been told not to worry about the
allies factor. They have been asked to concentrate on building the
party's strength and campaign against the parties which have made
their stand against the BJP their principal plank," Mr. Advani
said.
The BJP favoured 'devolution' of powers in favour of the States and
it had drawn up a comprehensive draft on this. The standing
council of the Chief Ministers belonging to the BJP would discuss
the draft in June, probably in Jaipur, he said.
On the election of the President, Mr. Advani said the BJP was yet
to formally consider whom to support. Only a section of the United
Front had publicly expressed itself in favour of the Vice-President
being elevated to the post of President. The party would take a
decision at the "appropriate time".
Mr. Advani claimed that the Rath Yatra was receiving great
response. "If we have not been able to make the optimum use of the
country's potential, it is because of the tendency to become
indifferent to sentiments such as patriotism," he added.
Mr. Venkayya Naidu, general secretary, Mr. Eshwarappa, State unit
president, Mr. B. S. Yediyurappa, and Mr. Anant Kumar, MP, were
present at the press conference.
The Swarna Jayanti Ratha Yatra left for Dharwad-Hubli via Khanapur,
Londa, Ramnagar and Ponda (Goa), after an overnight halt here.
Rules out reinstating Khurana
Mr. Advani reiterated that there was no proposal to change the
Delhi Chief Minister, Mr. Sahib Singh Verma, in the light of
acquittal of his predecessor, Mr. Madan Lal Khurana, in the lain
hawala case.
Mr. Advani told reporters that Mr. Khurana had enhanced his
responsibility to contribute in a greater way to the party.
On Saturday last in Bangalore, the BJP chief had ruled out any
'immediate proposal' to reinstate Mr. Khurana as the Delhi Chief
Minister.
Mr. Khurana had, however, reportedly expressed surprise over Mr.
Advani's statement, saying that he had been receiving "all positive
signals" from the party high command on his reinstatement.
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