It’s like Emergency: Advani

Author: Sanjay Singh/ New Delhi
Publication: The Pioneer

It was an overtly combative Om chant which reverberated Parlia-ment Street on Saturday morning, signalling BJP's anger and anguish over the shabby treatment meted out to Kanchi pontiff Jayendra Saraswati.

"Dharam guruon ka apman nahi sahega Hindustan. Congress-Communist jawab de in, hartyare kyun sarkar mein aur Shankaracharya kyun jail mein," was the slogan that set the tone of the three-day BJP dharna and relay fast over the seer's arrest.

Addressing the gathering, Leader of Opposition and party president L K Advani said: "Those who insult spiritual leaders do not understand India and its cultural traditions. The BJP stands for certain values in politics and if the BJP does not raise this issue then who would?"

He said he saw "no dividing line between dharam shakti and raj shakti" and quoted Mahatma Gandhi ("I am not willing to associate with politics which has no relation with religion") to buttress his point.

Seeking to unleash a debate on secularism, Mr Advani said: "Unfortunately in our country, distorted definitions of secularism are given which border on being anti-religious. It relates not only to Hinduism but also to Islam and Christianity."

Mr Advani likened the seer's remand with Emergency. "An unimaginable thing happened nine days back. Another such thing had happened 29 years ago. The rulers today are giving the same logic they gave for imposition of Emergency. Then also, the Left supported the Congress and today, too, it is supporting the Congress. They will have to pay the same price that the party had to pay then."

The dharna, being dubbed as "a fight against insult to a spiritual leader and assault on religion," could also have a cementing effect within Sangh Parivar where some dissenting voices had recently surfaced.

The dharna got a further filip when Aasaram Bapu, a godman with a committed following, joined the agitation kicked off by Mr Advani. His devotees kept flocking the spot throughout the day. By the time the relay fast ended at 6 pm, the BJP leaders had won over a number of prominent religious leaders. While Jain Munis wanted to join the agitation, Mata Amritanandamayi in a faxed statement expressed solidarity with the cause. The dharna may be extended to seven days if the seer's police remand is extended.

Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi will lead the fast on Sunday and Jaswant Singh on Monday. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee would conclude the agitation. Aasaram Bapu is expected to participate on Sunday too. Prominent Muslim leaders Mr Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Mr Shahnawaz Hussain, Ms Najma Heptullah and Mr Arif Mohammad Khan were present. Second generation leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley and new entrant Varun Gandhi also addressed the meeting.