BHOPAL, 23 October 2005 — The fundamentalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the parent organization of the rightist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has queered the pitch for former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharati to return to power in the state.
Not wishing to buy her denials, the RSS yesterday said Bharati’s attack against its functionary Suresh Soni of conspiring against her was an allegation against the RSS itself. “If there is an allegation on any Sangh functionary it is construed as an allegation against the RSS as a whole,” RSS spokesman Ram Madhav told newsmen at Chitrakoot on the second day of RSS’ three-day national executive meeting.
Facing a barrage of questions on the twin issues of Uma Bharati’s letter to the RSS chief and L.K. Advani’s statement, the spokesman skirted them saying these issues were neither on the agenda nor were discussed during the meeting.
“The meeting is not the proper platform to discuss these issues,” Madhav clarified.
When asked whether the Sangh had taken cognizance of Bharati’s letter and if it had any objection to it or not, he said “We will think whether we have any objection or not and take action what we think is right. It is a secret,” the spokesman quipped in a lighter vein when asked as to what action was being contemplated and against whom.
In reply to another question, Madhav said “the RSS does not interfere in the day to day affairs of the party not even of Suresh Soni,” obviously referring to Uma Bharati’s allegations. “All decisions in the RSS are taken collectively,” he said, however, adding “discussion on an issue with anyone does not tantamount to interference.”
Madhav said Bharati’s letter did not mention about any interference. When pointed out that similar allegations had been leveled against several RSS organization secretaries looking after BJP affairs, Madhav sought to deflect the question by countering that former KGB agent Mitrokhin had leveled allegations against journalists also.
“Allegations can be thrown at anyone...They should not be taken seriously,” he said.
Terming the UPA government’s Kashmir policy a “failure,” Madhav said its policies had shifted the focus from the “Pak-administered Kashmir to the Indian state of Kashmir.”
Giving details of the discussions on the second day of the executive committee meeting, he said the meet adopted a resolution on the “so-called Kashmir initiative” by the center for resolving the issue.
“The RSS is concerned over various proposals floating around in the name of the Kashmir initiative and there are apprehensions that after Siachen, India will be asked to demilitarize Baramulla and Kupwara districts in the valley,” the resolution said.
“There is talk of greater autonomy, there are proposals for open borders and joint administration. We consider all these proposals as against the interests and integrity of the country,” Madhav said quoting the resolution.
