In the run-up to the Ayodhya title-suit verdict that was deferred, the Sangh Parivar had stepped into an introspection mode. Various outfits, including the BJP, held discussions to prepare itself for any eventuality. While the wait continues for the Sangh Parivar, the BJP sees the silver lining. Contrary to view that BJP faced isolation in the post-Babri Masjid demolition phase, a senior BJP leader claimed it was during that phase that a journalist like Girilal Jain chose to be associated with the RSS mouthpiece, Victor Banerjee joined the BJP in Bengal and V S Naipaul spoke up for Hindutva. The Ayodhya movement smashed Congress hegemony in national politics.
Khare’s faux pas
IT was a faux pas by the prime minister’s media adviser Harish Khare when he said the Congress was a status-quoist party and lacked conviction. Khare enjoys rapport with Congress president’s political secretary Ahmed Patel and was brought in to serve as a link between PMO and the Congress. Thus when the prime minister interacted with editors, he sent the brief of his remarks to AICC media department chairman Janardhan Dwivedi, to avoid contradiction in the reactions of the Congress and the PMO. As he is a Congress supporter, Khare has only been told to be cautious in future.
Minority vote-bank
THREATENED by the Congress, which has made a dent in the Muslim vote-bank for the first time after Babri Masjid demolition on December 6, 1992, Lalu Prasad and Mulayam Singh Yadav have upped the ante to appease Muslims ahead of Bihar and later UP Assembly polls. The two Yadavs brought out a Supreme Court verdict of 1993 on salaries for Imams asking the Centre to draw up a scheme for payment of Imams salaries. Lalu claimed that when his party comes to power in Bihar, he will implement the apex court directive — this, despite his party being in power for 15 years! Mulayam waxes eloquent on issues like promotion of Urdu and the need to amend the Enemy Property Bill. The vote-bank politics may intensify, as the Ayodhya verdict is awaited.
Peepli (Live)
DELHI chief minister Sheila Dikshit is blaming the media for the mess in Commonwealth Games, citing the example of Peepli (Live). The grapevine has it that she is asking all the leaders to see the movie to realise for themselves to what level the media can stoop to create news headlines. Little does she realise that knives are already out.