New Delhi, May 9
In a conscious attempt to keep the lid on the ongoing power tussle within the party, the BJP today tried to underplay its high profile general secretary Pramod Mahajan’s expression of concern on the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, Gujarat riots and internal situation within the party.
Asked whether the BJP considered Mr Mahajan’s critical writing on these issues in the party organ “BJP Today” an act of indiscipline, party general secretary and spokesman Arun Jaitley said there was nothing objectionable in his assertion that the post-Godhra riots were a blot on the party.
Mr Jaitley said Mr Mahajan had not said anything which was not in line with the party’s stand on the issue.
He said former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and party president L K Advani had also said the Gujarat riots were unfortunate.
Asked if the party agreed with Mr Mahajan’s observation in an interview published in a magazine recently that the riots were a “blot” on it, Mr Jaitley said it was an “honest” expression by a person and there was nothing objectionable.
