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Following VHP's climbdown,
PM gets a breather

The peaceful manner in which the shila daan programme passed off in Ayodhya is likely to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the days to come.

Critics, who feared that the government would fail to implement the Supreme Court's order on maintaining the status quo in Ayodhya, have also been silenced.

According to highly placed sources in the BJP and the VHP, it was Vajpayee's hectic last minute parleys that paid dividends.

Vajpayee managed to rope in BJP Rajya Sabha member B P Singhal to speak to his brother, VHP international working president Ashok Singhal, and other VHP functionaries on the limitations and compulsions of the NDA government, they said.

At the same time, Bajrang Dal chief and BJP Lok Sabha member Vinay Katiyar began talking to the mahants (religious leaders), they added.

B P Singhal convinced Ashok Singhal that since its (VHP's) case was pending before the court, it was not the end of the road for the VHP, the sources said.

He also convinced Ashok Singhal that it was not in the VHP's interest to violate the orders of the apex court and annoy it, the sources said.

The two sides agreed that the shila (carved pillar for the proposed Ram temple) could be handed over at a 'selected' place near Ramkot mohalla (locality), which is on the border of the acquired land, they said.

It was also agreed that the shila would be received by a representative of the Centre, and not the Faizabad divisional commissioner, who is the receiver of the acquired land, they said.

Sources within the BJP also revealed that the stand taken by Attorney General Soli Sorabjee in the apex court on March 13 was decided, much against the prime minister's wishes, at a meeting called by Vajpayee at his residence on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by Union Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani, Union Law Minister Arun Jaitley and Sorabjee.

After the SC gave its verdict, Vajpayee had little space to manoeuvre, squeezed as he was between the hardliners within his party and the firm anti-temple stand of the NDA allies.

Ram Janambhoomi Nyas (trust) president Ramchandra Das Paramhans's threat to commit suicide in case he was not allowed to perform puja as per his wishes only added to Vajpayee's problems, they added.

Under the circumstances, the climbdown by the VHP and the Ram Janambhoomi Nyas (trust) on their demand to perform the shila puja within the acquired land in Ayodhya had come as a shot in the arm for the prime minister, while weakening the position of the hardliners within the BJP, the sources said.

That the VHP ended up disappointing its followers even as the government ensured that the day passed off without any serious hiccups is being seen as a triumph for the prime minister, they said.

RELATED REPORT:
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BJP leaders happy with peaceful shila daan

The Ayodhya Issue: Complete Coverage

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