Speech

VHP Stoking Ayodhya Issue : Sonia Gandhi

Excerpts from the address of the Congress President, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, to the Congress Parliamentary Party on February, 26, 2002 in New Delhi

Since we met last, the Ayodhya issue has been stoked yet again by the VHP and its cohorts. Inflammatory statements continue to be made and blackmailing tactics continue to be used to whip up passions. The Prime Minister has, as usual, spoken in a contradictory fashion. He has, of course, also issued his customary clarification, that too after the polling was over. But this will impress nobody. The strategy of the Sangh Parivar is simple : speak in as many voices as possible and tailor your position to suit the moment or the audience. Our position is clear. All parties must patiently await the decision of the Supreme Court, as it relates to the titles of the disputed property at Ayodhya. I wrote to the Prime Minister recently on the subject. I suggested to the PM to convene an all-Party meeting, which has been called today, to come up with a firm and clear plan to deal with the nefarious designs of the VHP in the coming days, designs that I am sure are well-known to the Prime Minister himself and his colleagues.

I would also like to draw your attention to the pronouncements and actions of Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi which continue to cause us great anxiety. Indeed, they should be a matter of great worry for all right-thinking, secular, tolerant, liberal Indians — which means an overwhelming majority of our citizens. Not content with politicising the NCERT and subverting the way our composite history is interpreted and written, he has now packed the ICHR with individuals of dubious academic credentials. The Prime Minister continues to turn a blind eye to the blatant communalization of our intellectual infrastructure.

In recent weeks, there has been an extraordinary attack on the CAG, a high Constitutional functionary, by the Defence Minister and his friends. Even the CVC has not been spared. Such is the respect that the NDA government has for the Constitution and for the institutions of our democracy. The Public Accounts Committee continues to be denied access to documents. Tiwariji has taken an unyielding stand. We must ensure that the government does not escape on the corruption issue, whether it relates to defence purchases or to tax agencies or the share markets and public financial and investment institutions. As far as the honourable Defence Minister himself is concerned, we continue to believe that he is holding this high office dishonourably. We also condemn the high-handed manner in which investigative journalists, who have exposed corruption in the highest place are being subjected to harassment and a witchhunt.

We are meeting for the first time after the horrific events of December 13th. We pay homage to the security personnel who so valiantly confronted the terrorists and laid down their lives protecting the very citadel of our democracy. We have extended our support to the government in the battle against terrorism. We will continue to do so but we will raise our voice forcefully when we feel that the fight against terrorism is being used as a cloak to harass religious minorities and their institutions without any justification. We have been against POTO, as its harsh provisions are such that can lend themselves to large scale misuse. It may not be out of place for me to point out that POTO was projected as a major plank by BJP in the recent elections, but the results show that the people have chosen to ignore it.

The foreign policy of the BJP-led Government lacks focus and direction. Apart from the fact that the basic thrust of the NDA’s foreign policy is contrary to the core of the philosophy and practice of Non-Alignment, the tactical steps taken by Government to meet India’s immediate needs have been characterized by incoherence and naivete and Pakistan, the sponsor of cross-border terrorism, has not been effectively check-mated in diplomatic terms.

During the Budget Session we will have occasion to discuss the foreign policy and diplomacy of the BJP-led Government. Government must make a comprehensive statement with regard to its policy and continued stand-off on the border. There is legislation coming before this session which will require the most careful consideration by our Party. For example, public health provisions of the Patents (Second Amendment) Bill will need to be examined, keeping the larger national interest in mind which has the objective of Indiraji’s Patents Act of 1970. We must also force a debate on the vital issues like the national agricultural policy. This was announced in 2000, but it has remained a non-starter. This has led to unprecedented neglect of the welfare and well-being of the farmers. Everywhere the small farmers and the khet mazdoor are worst hit. Growers of sugarcane, paddy, wheat, coconut, tea, rubber, oilseeds and various other crops are suffering across the country.

Other important Bills are slated to be introduced in this session. While we await the specific details, Bills relating to the welfare of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, freedom of information, Lok Pal and prevention of money laundering, women’s reservation, among many others will get our support.

Friends, we have a heavy agenda ahead of us. Let us immerse ourselves in this and set an example by the level of our attendance and the seriousness of our participation.