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Laxman insists BJP stands by its principles

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

Bharatiya Janata Party president Bangaru Laxman Thursday denied Vishwa Hindu Parishad president Vishnu Hari Dalmiya's charge that the party had given up principles which it stood for.

He was speaking at the first press conference after taking over as party president.

He said he tendered his resignation from the Union Council of Ministers and requested Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to recommend its acceptance by the President of India.

"I resigned so that I can start functioning as BJP president effective Thursday," Laxman said.

Laxman claimed that the VHP wanted the government of Farooq Abdullah dismissed under Section 356 of the Constitution of India. ''This is simply not possible," he said.

On whether he personally agreed with the VHP's contention, he said if that were the case, he would have been in the VHP.

"The BJP was born out of the debris of the Janata Party. The journey that we began in 1980 has come a long way since and today our party is heading the first stable and successful ruling coalition, in the form of the government of the National Democratic Alliance under the stable and visionary leadership of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee," he said in his opening remarks.

He pointed out that at one stage in the Indian polity, political parties used to shun the BJP and it was isolated. "Today, all parties want to be friendly with us," he said.

He denied that the Vajpayee government has been soft-peddling the issue of militants in Jammu & Kashmir. "The government has been taking strict action in J&K. But the doors of talks should be kept open. While holding talks, we should, however, ensure that there is no lapse in security," he pointed out.

He lauded the government's achievements and said that as party president he would ensure that the next three years are devoted to ensuring that the public know the party for its ability of good governance.

He refused to comment on the prime minister's health, saying that the issue had been effectively dealt with by the Prime Minister's Office.

Laxman said that he did not see any pressure on Vajpayee to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty during his visit to the United States. "The government and BJP stands on the issue are the same," he clarified. "If there is any change in government's policy on the CTBT, it will be done with the co-operation of all political parties."

He repeated his call to Muslims to join the BJP en masse. "I have reports from Srinagar that many Muslims in the valley want to join the BJP. In fact, some have filled party forms," he claimed.

On what the party was doing to remove misgivings in the Muslim community, he said that this task would be entrusted to party grass-root workers. "As a malicious propaganda campaign had been carried out against the BJP, the minority community started shunning it,'' he said.

On why Sikandar Bhakt, a Muslim, was annoyed with the party leadership, Laxman told rediff.com that it was for the prime minister to do something in his case. "You know why he is upset with the party. There is very little I can do about it," he said.

He said he did not know why Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray had said that his party would reconsider support to the government if the BJP opened its membership to Muslims "though he is aware of our aims and objectives".

Referring to women leaders like Sushma Swaraj, Uma Bharati and Sadhavi Rithambara who were unhappy with the party, Laxman said that those who want to work would be given work. ''We cannot force someone to work against his or her wishes. Let Uma Bharati decide what she wants to do. The same applies to the others," he added.

There is complete co-operation between the government and the BJP, he insisted.

He rejected the Swadeshi Jagran Manch's plea that multi-national firms should quit India. "The government has a set agenda and we are working towards its implementation. We have put issues like abolition of Article 370 and the Ram Mandir on the backburner for five years. Let the government complete its term in office, then we will see what to do next. The BJP no longer has a single agenda. We want to take India into the 21st century. The century will belong to India," he emphasised.

He said that after taking over as party president in Nagpur he had gone on a tour of flood-affected areas in Andhra Pradesh and seen devastation caused by rising waters of the Godavari. "I have requested the Government of India to enhance assistance to Andhra Pradesh. Vajpayee is holding a meeting to take stock of the situation and by Thursday evening additional assistance will be announced.

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