Demolition at Ayodhya failure of temple movement leaders: Uma

LUCKNOW, Dec 18: Suspended BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti today said the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992 was in fact a "failure" of the Ram Temple movement leaders like VHP and BJP as there was no plan to demolish it.

"Though the demolition of the disputed structure was a victory for the Hindu society and was a natural consequence, it was a failure on the part of the temple movement leaders like VHP and BJP", she said at a function here.

Bharti, who is on a yatra from Karimnagar in Hyderabad to Ayodhya, said the Hindu society believed in sacrifice but found itself in a fix over "aggression".

She recalled that BJP had got an absolute majority in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls in 1991 after the incident of firing on Karsevaks at Ayodhya in 1990.

She said the temple movement leaders had no plan to demolish the disputed structure.

"We had gone there only to offer symbolic Karseva by a handful of sand. Our plan was to form public opinion to exert public pressure after which the then Kalyan Singh Government would have resigned, the temple movement would have gained momentum and we would have been able to get support from the whole society", she said.

Bharti said the Ram Temple movement was able to unify the society but the politics of casteism got a fillip when the Samajwadi Party and BSP came together in 1993.

She said caste-based politics might have helped some people but no benefits had accrued to the backward castes and dalits.

Emphasising on the harmony between ‘Ram and Roti’, Bharti said a scoiety without "self-pride" could not progress.

This was the reason why she began her yatra from Karimnagar in Andhra Pradesh, where several farmers have committed suicide recently, and conclude it at Ayodhya, ‘The Seat Of Lord Ram’, she said. (PTI)

Patil backs Lalu, criticises oppn on statement issue

NEW DELHI, Dec 18: Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil today came in defence of Lalu Prasad and criticised opposition for insisting on a statement from the Railway Minister only.

The opposition was duly conveyed that Lalu was on his way from Patna and the Minister of State could read out the statement instead, patil said at a book release function of "Sansad Ka Itihas" (history of Parliament) written by Subash C Kashyap and Vishwa Prakash Gupta.

"The opposition kept on insisting that Lalu should give the statement but there is no such rule that the minister only can give the statement and not the state minister," he said, adding "ultimately the statement was important and not who read it out."

Patil, who has served as Lok Sabha Speaker himself, said the attitude of opposition did no good to the country as the actual problems were overlooked.

Patil further said "he (Lalu) immediately rushed to the site of the train accident upon hearing of the mishap. And he was so moved and angry at what he saw there that he said, `this is not an accident but a murder’."

"Lalu has our complete support. And when excessive criticism is meted out to him, we feel sympathetic towards him," Patil said.

On the changes that have taken place in Parliament functioning down the years, patil said a lot of time is now spent in pointing out each other’s mistakes and deficiencies, giving the appearance of a ‘Tu-Tu Main-Main’.

"Due to this, the real issues are getting overlooked," he said and welcomed the two new channels that will beam Parliamentary proceedings live, saying, "now people can see and judge for themselves about what their representatives are saying or doing."

He also pointed out non-attendance by many MPs as a matter of concern.

Speaking on the occasion, former Union Minister Vasant Sathe said the MPs should honour and uphold the traditions of Parliament.

"I have observed that certain things are said in parliament because the members know that these would get reportage that they are looking for. But I think this is only a temporary phase, and ultimately the importance of being sincere will be realised by them," Sathe said.

He also noted that the opposition should not oppose for the sake of opposing. "The opposition should be responsive and responsible," Sathe said.

‘Sansad Ka Itihas’ is a two-volume history of Parliament in Hindi jointly authored by Dr Subhash Kashyap, former Secretary General of Lok Sabha, and V P Gupta, former Professor at Delhi University. (PTI)

Bharat Sadhu Samaj condemns Ashok Singhal’s statement

KURUKSHETRA, Dec 17: The Bharat Sadhu Samaj general secretary, Dharmacharya Hari Narayananand brushed aside the VHP leader Ashok Singhal’s statement regarding UPA chairperson Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s hand in the arrest of Shankaracharya as Jayendera Saraswathi baseless , unfounded and undesirable .

Addressing a press conference in the Jairam Vidyapeetha here after the inauguration of Shrimad Bhaagwat Katha, the Sadhu Samaj leader said that Mr Singhal must think before what he says in such matters. He said none can think of Sonia’s hand in arrest of Shankaracharya as it is a Tamil Nadu police matter Mr Narayananand said that the way Shankaracharya was arrested and treated by the tn police , was matter of concern and the Sadhu Samaj of the whole nation condemned it. He refused to comment further saying the matter was subjudice .

He criticised the BJP for having done nothing during their 5 years rule for the Hindu community, barring the scams one after another and now again raising the bogie of Hinduism to regain power. He said the BJP also tended to appeasement of the Muslim voters and deviated from its earlier stand , consequently losing political power.

The Bharat Sadhu Samaj leader also ridiculed the Mr A B Vajpayee for his tilt towards the Muslims and joining the iftar parties thrown to him by the Muslim leaders in Delhi during his Prime Ministership.

He said a common code for all citizens of India be formulated, particularly for family planning . Those having more than two children be banned from entering Government jobs, politics and contesting elections right from Panchayat to Parliament, so that this country could be saved from doom due to population explosion in future, he demanded.

He disclosed that he had written a letter to the Haryana Governor to quash the bill regarding the acquisition of 75 temples in and around Kurukshetra by the State Government. It is politically motivated he opined. He expressed hope that good sense will prevail one day and the Haryana Government would withdraw this draconian move injuring the finer religious sentiments of the masses in and outside Haryana.

The Sadhu Samaj will launch a moral and spiritual uplift campaign next year , with mass prayers in 101 primary schools of Kurukshetra. The step will follow the training of school teachers and other educators after conducting a Shiksha Jagran Yatra from Kurukshetra to Hardwar and back in February next year. He exhorted the soci-religious organisations to open primary schools, instead of commercial technical institutes, to bring up cultured youths in the society, he informed.

Mr Narayananand said he was against the Sadhus entering politics. Its not our cup of tea. Why should we aspire for power,political or otherwise ? , He asked, adding power currupts every one whoever was near to it, Sadhu , Sanyasi or King. Moreover , Sadhu Samaj was against those who were criminals in the guise of Sadhus, he said . (UNI)

Decision on return to party to be taken by Advani: Uma

LUCKNOW, Dec 18: Terming her return to the party as a "complicated matter and not ordinary", suspended BJP leader Uma Bharti today said she had completed the `technicalities’ on her part and now the ball is in the court of BJP president L K Advani.

"It is a matter of the return of the ideology and also of political purity and is important for the direction of thinking of the party," Bharti told reporters here.

She said that she had written a letter to Advani clarifying her position and has completed the technicalities. "I did not want to harm the BJP," she asserted.

"The decision has to be taken by Advaniji. It is not a matter of my pride," she said.

When asked whether some people were opposing her return, Bharti said she was "not monitoring the developments".

On whether former party ideologue Govindacharya could also return to the BJP, she said "it does not appear an impossibility to me".

To another question, Bharti said that she would not have written to Advani if she did not want to return to the BJP.

The firebrand leader said she would continue to strive for "Ram and Roti" irrespective of her return to the BJP. The suspension would not affect it, she said.

Referring to the arrest of Kanchi Sankaracharya Jayendra Sarswathi, Bharti alleged that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa arrested the Seer "to please" AICC president Sonia Gandhi.

"As the Jayalalitha Government was in danger, the Chief Minister arrested the Seer to please Mrs Gandhi," she said, alleging that there was a "systematic attack on the Sankaracharya".

On being asked about the refusal of bail to the seer by the courts, she said it did not make any one a murderer.

Replying to a question about Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav’s remarks regarding Sita, she said Yadav should not have made such a comment.

To another question, Bharti said no Code of Conduct could be made for the media. The media should itself formulate a Code of Conduct for itself, she added.

On the Ram Temple issue, Bharti said the Congress had been "doing politics" over the issue since the time of Nehru by `installing the idols and starting puja’. (PTI)

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