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BJP gives Gujarat govt clean chit

George Iype in Bangalore

The Bharatiya Janata Party national executive on Sunday stood by its government headed by Chief Minister Keshubhai Patil in Gujarat and declared that the law and order situation in the state is normal.

After Keshubhai Patel presented his report to the party leadership on the recent attacks against Christians in Gujarat, the executive said that "vested interests have been systematically trying to blow stray incidents in the state out of all proportion."

But a section of party leaders admitted the national executive's decision to blindly believe in the Gujarat chief minister's report will put the BJP in a bad light vis-a-vis the minority communities in the country.

"The BJP has been a much misunderstood party especially when it came to the question of protection of minority communities. Therefore, the decision to absolve Patel of all responsibilities in the recent communal flare-up is risky and bad," a BJP national executive member from Karnataka told Rediff On The NeT.

"Some of us fear that the incidents in Gujarat have given a handle to Opposition parties like the Congress to portray the BJP as anti-minorities," he said.

BJP sources said a number of executive members felt that based on the central home ministry's report on the law and order situation in Gujarat, the Vajpayee government should have issued a warning to the state government.

However, forced by the Sangh Parivar outfits like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the BJP national executive issued a soft statement on Gujarat. It said the recent happenings in the tribal regions of the state "are extremely unfortunate."

Complementing the Keshubhai Patel government for "taking prompt action against the wrong-doers," it said the manner in which a sustained campaign has been launched to project these incidents as a plot against minorities smacks of a conspiracy.

It said any attack on a place of worship whether it is a church or temple is deplorable and can not be condoned. "Those who encourage the mindset of insecurity among minority communities under the garb of being their well-wishers and in the guise of secularism cause them the most damage," it said.

The national executive therefore assured the minority communities that their rights as fellow citizens shall be protected by the central and state governments. "We are committed to the principle of justice for all and appeasement of none," it added.

The national executive also made it clear that the BJP leadership has nothing to do with the activities and statements of the VHP which is spearheading the campaign against Christian missionaries and which recently flayed Nobel awards to Professor Amartya Sen and Mother Teresa.

"The BJP has no comments on the VHP allegation that there is an international conspiracy at work against India," BJP spokesperson Venkaiah Naidu said. He said the government and the BJP leadership has taken note of the accusation.

Naidu said there is absolutely no question of sacking the Gujarat chief minister on the issue. On Saturday, the Samata Party -- one of the coalition partners -- had demanded the dismissal of the Keshubhai Patel government.

But some party leaders fear the executive's decision to complement the chief minister on his action taken report in the state is "unwarranted" as the Union home ministry report on attack on Christians in the state has presented a different picture.

Sources said the home ministry decided not to issue a warning to the Gujarat government on the continuing violence in the state considering the Bihar situation. Though the Vajpayee government has been planning to dismiss the Bihar government headed by Chief Minister Rabri Devi, it has been unable to even issue a warning to the state.

"The incidents in Gujarat are negligent and the central and the state governments have taken adequate security precautions to ensure that there is no communal violence there," Uttar Pradesh BJP leader Rajnath Singh told Rediff On The NeT.

Singh said it is the Congress party which is trying to instigate the Christian community against the Hindus and the BJP. It is ridiculous that while the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh did not take action against its partymen for the alleged gang rape of four nuns at Jhabua, it wants the Centre to dismiss the Gujarat government for some minor incidents.

"Our policy is that politics should not be involved in temples, churches or mosques," Singh added.

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