New Delhi, November 27: It’s a strange coincidence. But both the Congress and its arch rival, the BJP, agree, albeit in private, that the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi issue has lost its relevance.
Political managers on both sides of the divide agree in private that there is “little political purchase” left in the issue, and neither of the parties appear keen on prolonging it. The government is unlikely to go after Sangh Parivar leaders indicted by Justice Liberhan in his report.
“Why make them a martyr?” says a senior minister.
Political managers in both parties do not believe the issue can be sustained beyond the next few days, and definitely not beyond the 17th anniversary of the Babri Masjid’s demolition on December 6.
“We will let off steam, try and score brownie points. But the fact is everybody realises that the issue has lost its currency, the country has moved on, there is little sense in flogging it anymore,” says a senior BJP leader.
As for its making a huge political impact, “I don’t think that is about to happen,” says a Congress minister at the Centre.
Most parties agree there will be a lots of name calling, charges and counter-charges during the debate on the commission’s report on December 1 and then again around December 6, but not beyond.
Though the Congress strategy on what to do with the report’s findings will be given shape once the prime minister returns to the country, the considered view is not to do anything that makes a martyr out of the BJP. The government is unlikely to start fresh criminal proceedings against those indicted.
The BJP’s strategy is to trash the report during the debate. Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s indictment has come as a godsend. The party will focus on the unfairness of it all as the commission never summoned Vajpayee. The party has decided to field two of its most articulate speakers, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively. LK Advani may intervene if needed.
“The political dividend of Ayodhya movement is over, now the party will concentrate on the way the report was leaked to break opposition unity and the fact that Vajpayee’s name has been unnecessarily dragged into it,” a senior party leader said.
–Agencies–