BJP, RSS and VHP leaders meet over Ram Mandir and communal violence bill

NEW DELHI: Over a fortnight after home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's Hindu terror remarks triggered a political row, top leaders of BJP, RSS and VHP went into a huddle here on Thursday to fashion a strategy to counter Congress. The leaders are understood to have broadly discussed tactics on allegations of Hindu terror, Ram Mandir and the communal violence bill, ahead of assembly elections in five states this year and 2014 Lok Sabha election. The meeting comes around a week before VHP's Marg Darshak Mandal at the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad on February 6 and a conclave of saints on February 7, where the further course of action will be chalked out.

According to sources privy to the meeting, VHP cadre will go to villages to strike a chord on issues which have been close to the Sangh's heart. Issues like Ram temple seemed to have faded out from the core agenda of BJP. Party sources described the meeting as a 'note exchanging exercise'.

At the fag end of the NDA rule in 2004, then prime minister AB Vajpayee had said at a press conference in Lucknow that the party will highlight achievements of its five year rule at the Centre instead of focusing on Ram Mandir. He had said the temple was not an election issue but an emotional one for the people. Recently, the Sangh has been infuriated over Shinde's remarks that RSS and BJP were promoting Hindu terror. BJP chief Rajnath Singh had demanded an apology from Shinde over his remarks and said that BJP will raise the issue in the budget session of Parliament.

After the meeting, Singh said, "There is no question of a clash with RSS. I am the president of BJP and a member of RSS, so where is the question of a clash?" The meeting was attended by LK Advani and Sushma Swaraj from BJP, RSS leaders - Bhaiyyaji Joshi and Suresh Soni - and VHP leaders Ashok Singhal and Pravin Togadia.