The Hindu : 'PM was not involved in Kanchi Acharya's efforts'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 10, 2003

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'PM was not involved in Kanchi Acharya's efforts'

By Harish Khare

New Delhi July 9. Authoritative sources say that the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, was neither consulted nor involved in the Kanchi Sankaracharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswati's most recent Ayodhya "initiative". These sources argue that Mr. Vajpayee had not even seen the seer's first letter (of June 16) to the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, let alone the second letter of July 1.

This assertion is contrary to the widespread perception and many reports that the Prime Minister and his aides were quarter-backing the seer's mediatory efforts.

In their perception, the collapse of the Sankaracharya's efforts is seen as a setback to Mr. Vajpayee. However, the sources not only reject this inference, they also indicate that the Prime Minister has no intention whatsoever of launching any fresh "political initiative".

Responsible sources who should know what is "cooking" debunk all talk of Mr. Vajpayee wanting to commandeer the services of this or that former Prime Minister for the purpose. The former Prime Minister, Chandra Shekhar, has been identified, according to some reports, as one who would lend a helping hand.

Mr. Vajpayee is not inclined to get himself or his office involved in finding an early "solution", irrespective of the restiveness being exhibited by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The VHP leaders have been demanding that Mr. Vajpayee either propose a "pro-mandir" legislation (in the monsoon session of Parliament beginning on July 21) or resign. In other words, a judicial resolution of the Ayodhya/Babri Masjid dispute remains the only viable option as far as the Vajpayee Government is concerned.

The sources also discount talk of the involvement of any official from the Prime Minister's Office in the Sankaracharya's just-collapsed exercise. Reports had off and on mentioned the name of Sudheendra Kulkarni, an Officer on Special Duty in the PMO, as the official assisting the Acharya.

In fact, sources close to Mr. Vajpayee are as much puzzled as anyone else about the discrepancy between the seer's two communications to the Board. It was the glaring discrepancy between the seer's letter of June 16, 2003, and that of July 1, 2003, that is widely believed to be the reason for the Board saying "no". Efforts are on to figure out why the Acharya's second letter of clarification had to gratuitously bring in Kashi and Mathura. It is being argued that it was incorrect to suggest that the seer changed his tone (as reflected in his July 1 letter) after a visit from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief, K.S. Sudershan. This assertion is made because apparently the RSS chief had briefed Mr. Vajpayee of his talks with the Acharya. (Though, the RSS did sing a different tune a few days later at its Kanyakumari conclave).

The sources are keen on putting a distance between the Prime Minister and those who want to try to find an "early" (out of court) "political" solution to the Ayodhya dispute. Implicit in this keenness is a conscious decision to let the VHP tire itself out. The Vajpayee Government is not going to let itself be stampeded into proposing a "mandir construction law" as demanded by Acharya Giriraj Kishore, Ashok Singhal and other VHP leaders.

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