Author: HT Correspondent
Publication: Hindustan Times, New
Delhi
Date: June 26, 2001
At A meeting here full of VHP rhetoric
and vitriol today, Union Minister Uma Bharti announced that she had joined
the Bajrang Dal. And in the thunderous applause that followed, Bharti dared
Chief Minister Digvijay Singh to arrest her. (The Chief Minister had recently
demanded a ban on the Bajrang Dal.)
Playing to the audience, which eagerly
lapped up her outburst, Bharti demanded a permanent solution to the Ram
Janambhoomi controversy. The occasion for the fiery speeches was the felicitation
function of Vishwa Hindu Parishad president Ashok Singhal.
Bharti assured the audience that
she was entirely serious and equally sensible about joining the Dal. Her
statement immediately brought Singhal to his feet and he rushed towards
her to present the saropa (a long sword), which was given to him earlier.
Brandishing the sword, Bharti posed
for the photographers and again challenged the Chief Minister to arrest
her.
Bharti's diatribe continued: "Digvijay
is a spineless Thakur from Madhya Pradesh who picks up the sandals of a
lady (Sonia Gandhi) who is a foreigner." She said she was fed up of Digvijay
Singh's demands. "I know I will be questioned (for her actions here) in
Delhi, and I am ready to reply" Earlier, Bharti had called herself a member
of the VHP, who was on deputation to the BJP.
Demanding a permanent solution to
the Ram Janambhoomi controversy, Bharti termed the issue being as important
as Kashmir. She promised Singhal many youths from Bhopal for the temple
construction. The temple she said, "would be a gift to Singhal."
Singhal said he wanted to raise
"Hindu Mahashakti". I want to unite the 85 crore Hindus all over the world.
When there are Christian and Islamic powers, where do we lack?" and promptly
blamed secularism for this.
Explaining the temple construction
plan, Singhal said the programme would start from Guru Govind Singh Jayanti.
"The date has a significance. We should be ready for martyrdom," he thundered.
The declaration of war was left
for Sadhvi Ritambhara. She told the audience - leaders and workers of Sangh
parivar and their family members to be prepared for the temple construction.
"This is no time for complacency.
It is time to roar... get ready, create waves ... in the country," was
her clarion call to the feverishly-applauding gathering.
Amidst chanting of Jai Jai Shriram,
she shouted: "I can electrify the youth of the country This is the time
to pledge to construct temple... Ab Aandhiyan Chalengi Aur Jwara Ayega
(There will be a storm)."
Among those present included Mohanlal
Mittal of the Mittal group from London and Bhupendra Kumar Modi, an industrialist
- both senior office bearers of the VHP Working Committee.
Uma Bharti presided over the function
in which Singhal was given a cheque of Rs 11 lakh by the Madhya Bharat
region of the Parishad.
Singhal was also presented a shawl
and shreefal. The programme was conducted by Prakash Ratnaparkhi, the regional
president of the Bajrang Dal.
