New Delhi, March 14
Even as some “secular” allies of the NDA government are becoming highly suspicious of the BJP’s real intent on the Ram mandir issue, they are keeping their fingers crossed that the provocative programme of the VHP and the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas
(RJN) at Ayodhya tomorrow would not lead to a backlash.
There is a discernible element of unease in the Trinamool Congress and certain other constituents of the NDA despite Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s assurance to both Houses of Parliament today that his government will implement the order of the Supreme Court in “letter and in spirit.”
These apprehensions among some allies of the NDA like the Trinamool Congress and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) have arisen because of the submissions of Attorney General Soli Sorabjee before a three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court yesterday.
Mr Sorabjee had contended yesterday that there should be no objection in allowing a symbolic puja with stringent conditions outside the acquired land in Ayodhya. This reflected in ample measure the Vajpayee government’s considered view that such a course of action would help in defusing tense situation prevailing in the pilgrim centre in UP.
Inevitably, the Trinamool Congress and others in the NDA fold comprising the Rashtriya Lok Dal and the Lok Janshakti Party as well as the TDP which is supporting the Vajpayee government from outside are hoping the Centre will not renege from its commitment of abiding by the judgement of the Supreme Court.
In its order yesterday, the apex court rejected holding a symbolic puja or any religious activity on the government acquired 67.703 acres of land adjacent to the demolished structure in Ayodhya.
These parties are pressing for having a ginger group with the TDP in the vanguard so that the BJP does not adopt a path in contravention of the agreed national agenda for governance (NAG) by bashing on regardless with the mandir issue. They are concerned that such an approach can have
an adverse fallout in maintaining communal harmony in the country.
The role of the TDP assumes added significance because it enjoys the largest block of 28 MPs in the Lok Sabha backing the Vajpayee government. The smaller parties and groups aligned with the NDA believe that the TDP and especially its supremo Mr Chandrababu Naidu can bring pressure to bear on the top leadership of the BJP.
Interestingly, the Samata Party made its presence felt at the informal meeting of these parties in the parliamentary party office of the TDP in the forenoon which was described as a “chit chat and informal exchange of views.”
Meanwhile, Mr Chandrababu Naidu is believed to have spoken to Mr Vajpayee on the telephone to apprise himself of the situation in Ayodhya and the Centre’s approach in this regard.
