06-20-2009, 08:05 PM
<b>RSS can walk straight without BJP crutches: Govindacharya</b>
20 Jun 2009, 0904 hrs IST, PTI
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/RSS-can...utches-Go\
vindacharya/articleshow/4679174.cms
NEW DELHI: Virtually daring the BJP to snap links with the RSS, former
party ideologue K N Govindacharya has said the RSS can "walk straight
without the crutches of the BJP".
<b>Govindacharya, who parted ways with the BJP sometimes back, accused
the party leaders, including its chief Rajnath Singh, of practising
"pseudo-Hindutva".</b>
Besides, he dubbed Varun Gandhi's election speeches as
"pesudo-Hindutva of the reactionary, irresponsible kind" and "not
Hindutva".
In a hard-hitting interview to a weekly news magazine, he said <b>BJP did
not cater to the ideal of Hindutva either as a party in power or as a
party in the opposition.</b>
<b>"It is not a national party in terms of ideology, policies and
conviction," he said about the BJP, adding that it is a party "full of
opportunists and careerists".</b>
The BJP leaders are taking to politics "only as a career or a dhanda
(business)," he said alleging that their thought process revolves only
around power.
The interview has come at a time when the BJP's national executive is
taking place here amid calls by some leaders for an open debate on the
electoral debacle.
Asked how the RSS leadership is viewing the election results,
Govindacharya said, "the RSS will have a straight talk with the BJP
now and tell it to decide what kind of relationship it wants to have
with the RSS."
Govindacharya said that "as a responsible Swayamsevak", this is how he
reads the mind of the RSS leadership. "The RSS will tell them if you
want to go without us don't worry...
"We feel that we don't need any appendage or any extra baggage. Nor
any crutches. RSS can walk straight without the crutches of the BJP.
This is the message the Sangh leadership has given to the BJP."
Govindacharya was also harsh on the leadership of Advani, who was
projected as the prime ministerial candidate, saying that the election
campaign of the BJP, which proclaimed him as a strong leader, was "on
a wrong footing".
<b>
"As Home Minister, Advani's comparison can only be made with Shivraj
Patil. There was nothing much to choose from," he said adding that the
election was a competition between "a weak Manmohan Singh and a weak
Advani ji."</b>
"In the realm of strong leader (Advani), the issue of Kandhar kept
coming up," he said referring to the Kandhar plane hijack episode
during the NDA government when Advani was the Home Minister.
<b>Govindacharya faulted Advani aide Sudheendra Kulkarni for making RSS a
"scapegoat".</b>
"In no way was the RSS involved in any kind of election strategies.
Only BJP people occupied the war room and they should be held
responsible," he said.
To a question, he said that Advani has never said anywhere that he is
going to quit as Leader of the Opposition in December. "This is
rumour, conjecture," he said.
Asked whether there is a feeling within the RSS that perhaps it is
time for Advani to retire, he said the RSS unless asked to think and
advise on these aspects will not apply its mind on such issues.
At the same time, he said Advani has definitely expressed the will for
a retired life.
"He desires it and deserves it also. He doesn't deserve this kind of
lampooning and cartooning from either the media or from within the
sections of the BJP. He deserves a happy and serene life,"
Govindacharya said.
Asked how does he visualise the future of BJP, he said he leaves it to
the wisdom of the leaders. <b>"If things go as they are, the party will
be reduced in the arithmetic of elections and then they won't even
hold as many states in power as they do today,"</b> he said.
20 Jun 2009, 0904 hrs IST, PTI
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/RSS-can...utches-Go\
vindacharya/articleshow/4679174.cms
NEW DELHI: Virtually daring the BJP to snap links with the RSS, former
party ideologue K N Govindacharya has said the RSS can "walk straight
without the crutches of the BJP".
<b>Govindacharya, who parted ways with the BJP sometimes back, accused
the party leaders, including its chief Rajnath Singh, of practising
"pseudo-Hindutva".</b>
Besides, he dubbed Varun Gandhi's election speeches as
"pesudo-Hindutva of the reactionary, irresponsible kind" and "not
Hindutva".
In a hard-hitting interview to a weekly news magazine, he said <b>BJP did
not cater to the ideal of Hindutva either as a party in power or as a
party in the opposition.</b>
<b>"It is not a national party in terms of ideology, policies and
conviction," he said about the BJP, adding that it is a party "full of
opportunists and careerists".</b>
The BJP leaders are taking to politics "only as a career or a dhanda
(business)," he said alleging that their thought process revolves only
around power.
The interview has come at a time when the BJP's national executive is
taking place here amid calls by some leaders for an open debate on the
electoral debacle.
Asked how the RSS leadership is viewing the election results,
Govindacharya said, "the RSS will have a straight talk with the BJP
now and tell it to decide what kind of relationship it wants to have
with the RSS."
Govindacharya said that "as a responsible Swayamsevak", this is how he
reads the mind of the RSS leadership. "The RSS will tell them if you
want to go without us don't worry...
"We feel that we don't need any appendage or any extra baggage. Nor
any crutches. RSS can walk straight without the crutches of the BJP.
This is the message the Sangh leadership has given to the BJP."
Govindacharya was also harsh on the leadership of Advani, who was
projected as the prime ministerial candidate, saying that the election
campaign of the BJP, which proclaimed him as a strong leader, was "on
a wrong footing".
<b>
"As Home Minister, Advani's comparison can only be made with Shivraj
Patil. There was nothing much to choose from," he said adding that the
election was a competition between "a weak Manmohan Singh and a weak
Advani ji."</b>
"In the realm of strong leader (Advani), the issue of Kandhar kept
coming up," he said referring to the Kandhar plane hijack episode
during the NDA government when Advani was the Home Minister.
<b>Govindacharya faulted Advani aide Sudheendra Kulkarni for making RSS a
"scapegoat".</b>
"In no way was the RSS involved in any kind of election strategies.
Only BJP people occupied the war room and they should be held
responsible," he said.
To a question, he said that Advani has never said anywhere that he is
going to quit as Leader of the Opposition in December. "This is
rumour, conjecture," he said.
Asked whether there is a feeling within the RSS that perhaps it is
time for Advani to retire, he said the RSS unless asked to think and
advise on these aspects will not apply its mind on such issues.
At the same time, he said Advani has definitely expressed the will for
a retired life.
"He desires it and deserves it also. He doesn't deserve this kind of
lampooning and cartooning from either the media or from within the
sections of the BJP. He deserves a happy and serene life,"
Govindacharya said.
Asked how does he visualise the future of BJP, he said he leaves it to
the wisdom of the leaders. <b>"If things go as they are, the party will
be reduced in the arithmetic of elections and then they won't even
hold as many states in power as they do today,"</b> he said.