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BJP disowns RSS call for swadeshi churches

Disowning the involvement of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the controversy over Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief K S Sudarshan's call for indigenisation of churches, BJP president Bangaru Laxman Saturday said it was for the Indian society to discuss the issue and arrive at a decision.

The debate on the issue was started 500 years ago by the churches in India, he told reporters.

''We have nothing to do with (the issue) and it is not on the BJP's agenda'', Laxman said.

The party was not apologetic on the issue, he said replying to a question even while agreeing that there were Christian churches the world over owing allegiance only to their respective countries.

''Our doors are open to all Indians'', Laxman said and added that several people belonging to minorities and dalits had joined the BJP in the wake of his appeal to minorities at the Nagpur session.

True to his statement, a large number of Muslims joined the BJP at party headquarters Kamalalayam in his presence on Saturday.

On the transfer of Uttar Pradesh Governor Suraj Bhan to Himachal Pradesh after he made critical references against the state government on dalit-related issues, Laxman said the transfer was routine and had nothing to do with his remarks.

"Governors had been transferred in the past too and this was one such transfers," he pointed out.

Emphatically ruling out any rift between the BJP and the RSS, Laxman said the BJP was a poliitcal organistion and the RSS a socio-cultural outfit having its own agenda.

Laxman justified the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's statement on the construction of Ram temple and said the VHP was only informing the people about their programme of action.

Referring to reports in a section of the press about Chinese incursions in the northeast, especially Arunachal Pradesh, Laxman said the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre would take all diplomatic and other steps to ensure that the country's borders were not violated.

Laxman dismissed as incorrect, reports in a section of the media that national security vigil was being relaxed.

Replying to a question on Pattali Makkal Katchi drifting towards the opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam from the ruling NDA, he said PMK leaders had met him and stated that such reports were incorrect.

They had no plans to join the AIADMK-led front and would stay with the NDA, he added.

It was for the state level leaders of the NDA to sort out the differences among NDA partners in the state, Laxman said, referring to frequent skirmishes between the PMK and the Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress led by former Union minister Vazhapadi K Ramamurthy.

However, Laxman was less than categorical to state whether the TRC was in the NDA or out of it as claimed by Dr Ramadoss of the PMK. They have not been attending the NDA meetings, the BJP president said.

Was TRC being invited for the NDA meets?, Laxman retorted: ''Ask this question to NDA convenor George Fernandes''.

UNI

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