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Kashi, Mathura never on our agenda: BJP
Gwalior, June 25: BJP today said that Kashi and Mathura had never been on its agenda and therefore the question of sticking to them did not arise.
Gwalior, June 25: BJP today said that Kashi and Mathura had never been on its agenda and therefore the question of sticking to them did not arise.
BJP has been advocating construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya since 1989 and it has never passed any resolution with regard to Kashi and Mathura temples, party general secretary Pramod Mahajan told reporters after a three-hour meeting of the central office bearers of the party, the first interaction after the recent brain-storming session at Mumbai.
Replying to a question, Mahajan dismissed VHP's demand that Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani step down if he was unable to bring a legislation in parliament for construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya.
Though the BJP favoured a legislation on Ayodhya, it could not proceed in the matter because it was not a part of the NDA agenda, Mahajan said.
"Since Advani is an inalienable part of the Vajpayee government....There is no intention of his quitting," he said.
Asserting that BJP was not hungry for power, he recalled that the party had sacrificed four of its state governments soon after the demolition of the Babri masjid in 1992.
Mahajan said the Ayodhya issue did not come up for discussion at the meeting which was mainly devoted to the preparation of assembly polls in five states later this year.
The meeting, chaired by party president M Venkaiah Naidu, was attended by Advani who spoke of a "feel good factor" in the election going states.
The BJP will hold its national executive at Raipur on July 18, 19 and 20 to discuss the poll preparations, he said.
Replying to a question on the formula proposed by Kanchi Shankaracharya, Mahajan said the BJP welcomed his efforts but was not officially aware of the proposal mooted by the seer.
In an effort to pacify VHP, agitated over not being taken into confidence by Shankaracharya, he said whenever a final shape was given by government to the proposal, VHP would certainly be involved as it was the "soldier in the vanguard" of the Ramjanambhoomi movement.
Rejecting the suggestion that the BJP was distancing itself from the Ayodhya issue, Mahajan said it had been one of the prominent issues in the last five general elections since 1989.
"Hindutava is not a poll matter for us but a matter of faith," he said.
The BJP leader also dismissed reports that the party favoured reservation for minorities and giving permission for prayers in some 1,000 mosques which were under the control of Archaeological Survey of India.
Asserting that the BJP would fight the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi on its own, he criticised Chief Minister Digvijay Singh for spreading disinformation that the BJP was planning to tie up with BSP in Madhya Pradesh.
Mahajan recalled that it was Digvijay Singh who had entered into a secret understanding with BSP in the last assembly polls.
BJP, he said, was not in favour of "preponing even by a single day" the Lok Sabha polls slated next year.
Mahajan said the Raipur national executive meeting would also discuss the issue of reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
BJP stood for 33 per cent reservation to women men in Lok Sabha and state assemblies and was even ready to consider 33 per cent of tickets being given by all political parties if it could help evolve a consensus.
The Raipur meeting could also discuss raising the strength of Lok Sabha by one third in order to ensure 33 per cent reservation for women.
Addressing the meeting, Advani said that June 25 was an important day as on this day 28 years ago, an internal emergency was imposed by the Congress in the country.
Bureau Report
Replying to a question, Mahajan dismissed VHP's demand that Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani step down if he was unable to bring a legislation in parliament for construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya.
Though the BJP favoured a legislation on Ayodhya, it could not proceed in the matter because it was not a part of the NDA agenda, Mahajan said.
"Since Advani is an inalienable part of the Vajpayee government....There is no intention of his quitting," he said.
Asserting that BJP was not hungry for power, he recalled that the party had sacrificed four of its state governments soon after the demolition of the Babri masjid in 1992.
Mahajan said the Ayodhya issue did not come up for discussion at the meeting which was mainly devoted to the preparation of assembly polls in five states later this year.
The meeting, chaired by party president M Venkaiah Naidu, was attended by Advani who spoke of a "feel good factor" in the election going states.
The BJP will hold its national executive at Raipur on July 18, 19 and 20 to discuss the poll preparations, he said.
Replying to a question on the formula proposed by Kanchi Shankaracharya, Mahajan said the BJP welcomed his efforts but was not officially aware of the proposal mooted by the seer.
In an effort to pacify VHP, agitated over not being taken into confidence by Shankaracharya, he said whenever a final shape was given by government to the proposal, VHP would certainly be involved as it was the "soldier in the vanguard" of the Ramjanambhoomi movement.
Rejecting the suggestion that the BJP was distancing itself from the Ayodhya issue, Mahajan said it had been one of the prominent issues in the last five general elections since 1989.
"Hindutava is not a poll matter for us but a matter of faith," he said.
The BJP leader also dismissed reports that the party favoured reservation for minorities and giving permission for prayers in some 1,000 mosques which were under the control of Archaeological Survey of India.
Asserting that the BJP would fight the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi on its own, he criticised Chief Minister Digvijay Singh for spreading disinformation that the BJP was planning to tie up with BSP in Madhya Pradesh.
Mahajan recalled that it was Digvijay Singh who had entered into a secret understanding with BSP in the last assembly polls.
BJP, he said, was not in favour of "preponing even by a single day" the Lok Sabha polls slated next year.
Mahajan said the Raipur national executive meeting would also discuss the issue of reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
BJP stood for 33 per cent reservation to women men in Lok Sabha and state assemblies and was even ready to consider 33 per cent of tickets being given by all political parties if it could help evolve a consensus.
The Raipur meeting could also discuss raising the strength of Lok Sabha by one third in order to ensure 33 per cent reservation for women.
Addressing the meeting, Advani said that June 25 was an important day as on this day 28 years ago, an internal emergency was imposed by the Congress in the country.
Bureau Report