Author:
Publication: Navhind
Times
Date: December 7, 2000
In perhaps his most categorical
pronouncement ever on the Ayodhya controversy, the Prime Minister, Mr A
B Vajpayee, on Wednesday not only firmly rejected demands for the resignations
of three charge-sheeted BJP ministers but also endorsed the plan to erect
a Ram Mandir on the disputed site.
Choosing the occasion
of the eighth anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid structure,
the Prime Minister described the temple building exercise as an "unfinished
task" and portrayed the Sangh parivar's (family) Ayodhya campaign as a
"national movement."
Mr Vajpayee, who was
reportedly under pressure from his own rank and file to break his silence
on the emotive controversy, made his views public soon after Opposition
parties forced adjournment of both Houses of Parliament for the third successive
day.
On the key Congress and
Samajwadi demand for the resignations of the three charge-sheeted Union
Ministers, the Prime Minister made it clear that there was no question
of their stepping down because, as he put it, they were not only not involved
in the demolition at all but had done their level best to prevent it.
Mr Vajpayee's staunch
defence of his three colleagues, the Home Minister, Mr L K Advani, the
HRD Minister, Mr Murli Manohar Joshi and the Sports Minister, Ms Uma Bharti,
was evidently aimed at scotching all speculations about a rift within the
top leadership of the BJP on the issue, which the Opposition parties have
been seeking to exploit.
Earlier, as soon as Parliament
assembled this morning, Congress and the Samajwadi Party MPs pressed ahead
with their stated intention of disrupting proceedings in both Houses on
the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition eight years ago.
There was utter chaos
as Opposition protests over the Ayodhya issue turned unruly and even physical.
Slogan-shouting members stormed the Well of the Lok Sabha and started tearing
up the business papers of the day. "Advani must quit," Isthifa do,
"We want resignations," chanted the members, with some of them rushing
to the parliamentary reporters table, seizing official papers and tearing
them to shreds.
Sensing the mood, the
Speaker, Mr G M C Balayogi, who first ordered the live telecast of Question
Hour to be terminated, took little time to announce that the House was
being adjourned for the day. This is the third straight day now that
Parliament has been disrupted over the Opposition demand for the resignation
of three BJP ministers charge-sheeted by the CBI in the Babri Masjid demolition
case.
The Prime Minister, who
was present throughout the din, had evidently intended to make a statement
on the floor. However, he was denied the opportunity and he chose
to make his stand clear to the waiting media on the threshold of Parliament
House.
AGENCIES ADD: Hours after
his controversial remarks favouring the Ram Temple movement in Ayodhya,
the Prime Minister tonight said he has not supported the demolition of
Babri Masjid.
Mandir ka nirman rashtriya
bhavna ka prakatikaran hai. Mandir kis tarah banaya jaye yah mahatvapoorna
hai. Masjid girney ko mainey samarthan nahin kiya (construction of
the temple is an expression of a national feeling. What is of significance
is how the temple should be constructed. I have not supported the
demolition of the mosque),'' Mr Vajpayee told reporters after a function
in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The Prime Minister's
remarks in the evening came after his statement in the morning created
ripples in political circles with opposition parties charging him with
justifying the demolition and supporting the Sangh parivar's (family) agenda
of construction of temple at the disputed site.
The BJP president, Mr
Bangaru Laxman, ruled out any apology for the demolition.
Meanwhile the Vishwa
Hindu Parishad today said a "dharam sansad" to be held at Allahabad during
the Mahakumbh Mela next month would demand the Centre should transfer ownership
of 67 acres of acquired land in Ayodhya to facilitate construction of Ram
temple.
The land is needed to
build the temple with four big "gopuram" as designed by Architect Sompura
at Ahmedabad, the VHP president, Mr Ashok Singhal, told reporters here.
He said the stone carving
for the temple was likely to be completed by March next and the newly formed
'Sri Ram Janambhumi Nirman Samiti' under the presidentship of mahant Ram
Chandra Das would plan the temple construction programme.
A new temple was constructed
after demolition of the disputed structure in 1992 and now a magnificent
temple would be built at that site, he claimed.
He said the Centre should
transfer the acquired land to VHP to end all controversies and enable the
temple construction in a peaceful atmosphere.
To a question, he said
"we will abide by the decision of the saints and mahants regarding the
temple construction, as it was on their direction the shilanayas and kar
seva of the temple was held." The temple construction also would be held
as per their decision.
The Congress today condemned
Mr Vajpayee for rejecting its demand for the resgignations of three charge-sheeted
Union ministers in the Ayodhya case, saying they were involved in a political
movement.
Speaking to reporters,
the AICC spokesman, Mr Anand Sharma, said the Congress also took exception
to the comparison of the agitation by the Prime Minister to the freedom
struggle. The Ayodhya agitation was a communal movement to divide
the nation and weaken it. The Prime Minister by exonerating the three
ministers had shown scant respect for the rule of law and the judiciary,
the case was sub-judice. They had been charge-sheeted by a special
court and charges against them were framed under the Indian penal code,
Mr Sharma said.
The Congress would continue
to raise the issue in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha till its demand
was accepted, he added.
