RLM to keep Buta away from rally
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Sept 12 — Cracks appeared in the nascent Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha (RLM) when its leadership today asked former Home Minister Buta Singh to keep away from tomorrow’s rally in Mumbai in protest against the Shiv Sena-BJP government for rejecting the Srikrishna Commission report.

Talking to The Tribune from Mumbai, RLM spokesman Amar Singh said Mr Buta Singh had been asked not to attend tomorrow’s rally following his failure to explain his role as Union Home Minister in the ‘shilanyas’ ceremony at Ayodhya in 1989.

Mr Buta Singh, an Independent MP, had joined the RLM launched by Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav after he was sacked from the BJP-led coalition government after the Supreme Court cleared his prosecution in the JMM MPs bribery case.

Mr Amar Singh said the RLM had sought in writing from Mr Buta Singh an explanation on the matter when he joined the morcha but there had been no convincing reply.

"We had sought an explanation in writing so that the same could be circulated among the minorities", Mr Amar Singh said.

He said the former Home Minister had told the morcha leadership on two occasions that the "shilanyas" ceremony was performed at the behest of the then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr N.D. Tewari.

"In the present circumstances, till Mr Buta Singh does not satisfy the Samajwadi Party leadership on the issue, it is difficult to accommodate him", Mr Amar Singh said and if no written explanation was received, the morcha would be forced to take some "hard decisions".