India's anger burns Modi

The BJP national executive, refusing to bow to pressure from the NDA allies, rejected Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s offer to resign on Friday over the communal violence in Gujarat but advised him to dissolve the state Assembly and seek a fresh verdict. Mr. Modi had offered to resign earlier on Friday to “assist the party in discussing Gujarat affairs threadbare.”

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had earlier rejected Mr Modi’s move to go in for fresh elections in the state. Mr Modi during his first meeting with the Prime Minister in New Delhi had sought permission to dissolve the Assembly, claiming that the communal violence in Gujarat had tilted the balance in favour of the BJP.

That the decision to dissolve the Assembly had already been taken became apparent with the Prime Minister virtually coming out in support of Mr. Modi’s observations that communal frenzy in the state was the outcome of the attack on the karsevaks travelling on the Sabarmati Express.

The resolution adopted by the BJP national executive late on Friday evening stated: “The national executive unanimously rejects Mr. Modi’s offer to resign his post. It is confident that Mr. Modi can meet every challenge, that by effective action he can counter any canard.”

It added: “Instead of accepting his resignation, the national executive advises him to seek dissolution of the Assembly, go to people and seek their verdict.” With this decision and with the Prime Minister exposing his “Hindutva face,” the RSS has nearly completed its bid to dominate and dictate the BJP’s political moves.

On the Telugu Desam demand to remove Mr. Modi, the BJP leaders “refused to bow down to such pressure” and made it clear that “the allies must not interfere in the internal affairs of the BJP.” The saffron camp was also confident that with the Congress gaining in every state, it was a “major threat to the TDP and it (the TDP) had no option but to remain in the NDA.”

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, in what appeared to be well a orchestrated move earlier on Friday, told the BJP national executive working committee that he wanted to “offer his resignation to the highest policy making body of the party.” Mr. Modi tried to put on a humble act by saying that he wanted to address the national executive as an “ordinary member.”

In a bid to show off the Gujarat Chief Minister’s “honesty and integrity,” BJP president Jana Krishnamurthi rushed to the journalists waiting for the Prime Minister to deliver his address at the Campal ground. During his address before the Prime Minister, Mr. Krishnamurthi praised Mr. Modi’s courage in offering to resign.

Mr. Modi’s critics, including Union minister Shanta Kumar, Mr. Sahib Singh Verma, Mr. Madan Lal Khurana, Mr. Sanghpriya Gautam and Mr. Keshubhai Patel, were silenced by the majority who supported the Gujarat Chief Minister. Earlier, during a meeting of the party’s office-bearers, a section had demanded Mr Modi’s resignation. The leaders said they felt that Mr. Modi’s handling of the situation in Gujarat had harmed the BJP’s image and that there was tremendous discrimination in the relief camps.

Mr. Krishnamurthi in an official release issued late on Friday evening appreciated Mr .Modi’s efforts to “face the challenges” and his decision to order a probe. The statement added: “In the best traditions of the party, so as to assist the party in discussing the happenings in Gujarat threadbare, and so that it may take a decision without any inhibition, Shri Modi offered to step down.”

Republished from The Asian Age