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Asserting that the Bharatiya Janata Party has an identity independent of the Sangh Parivar, the party's new president Venkaiah Naidu has proposed a dialogue with the saffron outfits to arrive at a "broad consensus" on key issues.
While stating that the party wanted the Ram temple to be built at Ayodhya and that it was not at all apologetic about its stand, Naidu acknowledged there was no consensus in the National Democratic Alliance government on the issue.
"These (parivar outfits) are all independent organisations. They are not part of the BJP. We are a political party. We are working on the political field. We are guided by our own ideology and programme," Naidu told Karan Thapar's Court Martial programme scheduled for telecast on SAB TV on Thursday.
He said the RSS as an independent organisation has its views on certain matters and so also its trade union wing -- the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh.
"We in the government have a different view. But broadly in the national interest, I would like to have a dialogue with our so-called parivar as also interact with them and try to come to some sort of a broad consensus on issues to the extent possible," Naidu said.
He said the party's disagreement with the RSS on the issue of trifurcating Jammu and Kashmir proved wrong the allegation that BJP was controlled from Nagpur.
Denying that the Sangh Parivar was "exasperated" with the BJP, Naidu said the RSS and its allied organisations "very much like this government. They want this government to move forward and perform better."
Asked whether with the change in BJP leadership, there would be a revival of its old agenda, including the Ram temple issue, Article 370 and Uniform Civil Code, Naidu said: "There is no question of any change. As far as the BJP's ideology and philosophy is concerned, let me make it very clear that we are not at all apologetic about our stand on any of these issues."
The BJP chief said the party was aware of the fact that the mandate [in the last Lok Sabha election] was not for the BJP but for the NDA and "as the leader of this coalition, we are duty bound to implement the manifesto of the NDA, where these things do not find place."
"There is no question of thrusting my agenda on my allies and there is no question of leaving my ideology which is the lifeline of the party," he said adding, "our first and foremost duty is to make this coalition stable and extremely successful, which would hugely benefit us. As and when you are free on your own, you can think about them (the other issues)."
He said it was essential that the party removed the confusion created in the minds of the grass-roots workers in this regard by "political adversaries."
Defending the party's decision to put the Ram temple issue on the backburner, he said: "It is one issue, not the philosophy or ideology of the BJP. We have taken a particular stand. When you could not get the mandate of the people, what else do you do?"
Naidu reiterated that Lal Kishenchand Advani's elevation as deputy prime minister has not created two power centres in the party.
"The fact that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee appointed him his deputy shows his [Vajpayee's] control, command and confidence. Vajpayee is very much active and is the guiding force behind the party. He is the leader of India, NDA, BJP, he is leader to me and leader to Advani," Naidu said.
Accepting that the BJP was yet to get into the ruling party mould, he said: "We have to change our mindset right from the workers' level. For 44 years we have been in the opposition and we are having that opposition mindset. It is time that we make our workers and leaders realise that we are the ruling party."
Asked whether the Gujarat violence had tarnished the party's image, he said: "One incident or what happened in one state will not wipe out my [the BJP government's] record. Please look at my record of four years. There was less tension and more attention on development."
While condemning both Godhra and subsequent Gujarat violence, he attributed the same to "social tension, mistrust and provocation from different sides."
He, however, asserted that removing Chief Minister Narendra Modi would not solve the problem.
Naidu said his party does not favour trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir as demanded by the RSS.
"Being in power and being in contact with sensitivity and security of the state, we are aware of the sufferings of the people in Jammu, Ladakh and Leh, which has made RSS or anybody else make such demands because they have been discriminated against. We want to tackle the issue of discrimination separately and effectively rather than go for trifurcation," he said.
Stating that the party never favoured the state's trifurcation, he said: "The BJP is an independent political party. The RSS is free to have its own views. We are in the government and more nearer to reality."
PTI
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