People's Democracy

TRULY, the BJP's perfidy is unbounded. Following the ghastly and shocking incident at Godhra, both the prime minister and the home minister issued strong statements. For a moment, it appeared that in upholding the Constitution and the law of the land, this Vajpayee government may, however belatedly, take some steps to control the situation. However, the RSS/BJP all over the country is actively aiding and abetting the VHP to continue its illegal attempt to construct the temple at Ayodhya.

The BJP is the main player in the bandh called by the VHP in Gujarat. From all over the country, "kar sevaks' are being mobilised to reach Ayodhya. As yet, no instructions have been given by the central government to stop this movement of people with an explicit design to violate the law and indulge in illegal activities. Even the customary section 144 has not been imposed in Ayodhya and Faizabad. The recourse to this provision of the CrPC prohibiting the assembly of four or more people, is taken at the drop of the hat whenever the Left contemplates a protest action.

The VHP has outrightly rejected the exhortations of both Vajpayee and Advani. What the country is witnessing is, in a sense, a replay of the events in the build up to the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992. On that occasion, the country had various assurances, including one to the Supreme Court by the then chief minister of Uttar Pradesh that the Babri Masjid would be protected. There were reports that Vajpayee had shed some tears and composed poetry on that occasion. The country today needs a prime minister and a government that is capable of protecting our secular democratic Constitution and enforcing the law of the land. Poetry and tears is not the answer.

Disturbing reports had appeared of gross misbehaviour by the kar sevaks while they were proceeding to Ayodhya. Molestation of Muslim women, poisonous communal slogans and extremely provocative behaviour went unchecked. Clearly, unless the mobilisation of large unmanageable crowds with the explicit purpose of indulging in illegal activities is stopped forthwith, a situation worse than what the country had to go through in the period leading to the demolition of the Babri Masjid and its aftermath can take place.

Vajpayee and his government's policy of "hunting with the hounds while running with the hares" underlines its double speak. For a full one year, this government was aware of the VHP's call to begin the temple construction in the middle of March this year. No step or measure was taken to prevent this patently illegal activity. On the contrary, all patronage was provided to such organisations.

In an attempt to garner partisan electoral benefit, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP sought to utilise the flaring up of communal tensions consequent to the VHP's call. The people of Uttar Pradesh, however, rose above communal passions to give the BJP its worst electoral drubbing in recent years. Clearly, the BJP now sees that its political future rests only on whipping up of communal tensions with the people rejecting its governance and policies resoundingly.

This precisely is where the danger to our secular democratic republic lies. As we go to press, reports of communal violence are on the increase. Deaths have been reported from Baroda, Ahmedabad and other parts of Gujarat. The VHP has given calls for similar bandhs in other states as well. Throwing the country into a communal conflagration is the staple diet of both Hindu communalism and Muslim fundamentalism. While they feed on each other, it is the Indian Republic and its people that bleed.

If Vajpayee & Co. are unable to protect the Indian Republic and the law of the land at this grave hour, they have no business to remain in office. The people will have to show utmost restraint in the face of grave provocation and rise to checkmate the game of the communal forces that seek to destroy the unity and integrity of our country.