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Kalyan replies, taunts Vajpayee again

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh today continued his tirade against Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, alleging that he ''may hatch a conspiracy to physically harm me''.

Talking to newspersons after releasing the copy of a letter to Bharatiya Janata Party president Kushabhau Thakre in reply to the showcause notice issued by the party, Kalyan Singh, in response to a query whether he apprehended any threat to his life, said, ''I can understand that''.

Asked if he would like to increase his security, he said, ''Jako rakhe sainya, mar sake na koye'' (nobody can harm him, who is protected by god). He however, hastened to add, ''I am prepared to face any conspiracy against me''.

He also appealed to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to save the BJP, which, plagued by the evils of ''man worship'' was going the Congress way.

Kalyan Singh said he was proud of being a ''disciplined soldier of the RSS'' but was pained to observe that the BJP was moving away from the RSS ideology. Negligence of the Hinduism plank would be detrimental to the interests of the BJP, he added.

He said the present-day BJP was ''another edition of the Congress" and added, ''I request the RSS to come to the rescue of the BJP, which is going on the path of disaster''.

The central government had recently appointed five governors, but none of them was close to the ideology of the RSS, he claimed. Even the advisors of the prime minister himself could hardly be termed as the followers of RSS ideology, he added.

Asked why on the one hand he was trying to damage the party and on the other making appeals to save it, he remarked sarcastically, ''No one has to try hard to damage the BJP, it would be finished automatically''. He also made a dig at those party leaders who, according to him, were trying to join hands with the Bahujan Samaj Party. This theory would further jeopardise the prospects of the BJP, he claimed.

Meanwhile, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and chairman of the disciplinary committee J P Mathur today said he will initiate action against Kalyan Singh only after party president Kushabhau Thakre formally hands over the latter's reply. Thakre is expected to reach the national capital on Monday. Mathur said he would consult other four members of the disciplinary committee and finalise future course of action on the issue.

UNI

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