By Rajeev Khanna, IANS
Bhopal : Sensing an early general election, the three-day national executive meet of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ended here Sunday after highlighting issues like Ram temple, national security and national sovereignty.
Reiterating its stand on the Ram temple, party president Rajnath Singh said that if the BJP was returned to power with absolute majority, it would legislate, if necessary, for constructing a temple at Ayodhya.
Party leader L.K. Advani, in his address at the concluding session, said that a government that denies Ram’s existence has no right to exist.
This was a clear reference to a central government affidavit in the Supreme Court on the Sethusamudram project that was later modified.
The Ram Sethu issue also dominated the proceedings at the meet, with the party passing a resolution seeking preservation of the natural formation and demanding it be declared a national heritage site.
The BJP vigorously attacked the ruling Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and its allies for their stand on the issue and for going ahead with the Sethusamudram Canal Project.
The party has decided to provide active support to the Rameshwaram Ram Setu Rakhsha Manch that is carrying on a movement for its preservation.
This was a clear indication of the BJP going back to the Hindutva plank and party spokesman Prakash Javadekar made no bones about this, saying: “Hindutva is our breath.”
The party also sent across a message to its cadres to get ready for a mid-term parliamentary election that Rajnath Singh said is imminent.
In his interaction with the media he said: “In one sentence I would say that the message for the BJP workers across India from Bhopal is that the party is ready to take on the challenges before the nation with renewed vigour.”
According to him, by the time the next elections are held, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will be stronger than before with new allies.
Rajnath Singh did not specify who the new allies would be, but the party has given indications of firming up its ties with the AIADMK in the south. Toward this, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad praised AIADMK chief Jayalalitha for her stand on the Ram Sethu issue and her support to the need for an effective anti-terror law.
Advani too said the BJP was “ready to fulfil the people’s expectations”.
The meet was held under the shadow of the leadership controversy. On day one, various leaders had made statements on the issue of whether former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee or former deputy prime minister Advani would be the party’s choice if the NDA comes to power at the centre.
During the last two days, BJP leaders attempted to downplay the controversy by saying that a decision would be taken at an opportune time.
Vajpayee did not attend the meet on health grounds but a letter sent by him created ripples. Addressed to the participants, Vajpayee said he was recovering and would soon be amongst them.
In his speech at the conclusion of the meet, Advani said: “I felt gratified when Rajnathji showed me Atalji’s own message saying that before long, he would be in our midst. Let us pray that this happens very soon and he continues to lead and guide us as in the past.”
The UPA also came in for a heavy attack from the BJP leaders on its failure on the internal security scenario. They criticized the UPA for going soft on terrorism and for repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).
In its resolution on terrorism, the party promised to bring an effective anti-terror law if voted to power.
“Our charge is that it (UPA) has no will to counter terrorism with a firm hand because of its misplaced fear of losing minority votes. The UPA’s politics of minorityism has become a major hurdle in India’s fight against terrorism,” Advani said.
“I charge the government with communalising India’s campaign against terrorism,” he added.
The BJP also demanded that the recommendations of the Sachar committee on resolving the problems of Muslims be done away with.
“The Sachar committee is a charter for social divisiveness. The essence of the committee is to have job reservations based on religion, developmental priorities in areas inhabited by one religious denomination and communal budgeting,” party leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.
“The BJP is of the clear opinion that the recommendations of the Sachar committee are constitutionally questionable and unacceptable,” he added.
On the India-US nuclear deal, the party said it opposed the pact on the ground that it limited India’s nuclear weapons options.
“The deal, which would come under the scrutiny of the Hyde Act, would also infringe on the country’s independent foreign policy,” Advani said at a public meeting.
“India is the largest democracy in the world and the US is the oldest democracy. Both should co-operate on equal footing. But under the present conditions of the nuclear deal, India would lose its freedom to undertake nuclear tests,” he added.
Advani said: “The BJP wants friendly relations with America -but on equal terms. The BJP wants to catch the nuclear energy bus but without getting off from the nuclear weapons bus.
“The BJP wants India to soon become a major global power as one of the poles of a multi-polar world,” he maintained.