UP to follow NDA agenda: PM
Ayodhya issue rocks Lok Sabha
Tribune News Service and UNI

NEW DELHI, Dec 14 — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today set at rest the raging controversy on the mandir issue which rocked the Lok Sabha for the past two days clarifying that the BJP-run Uttar Pradesh Government would follow the agenda of the National Democratic Alliance of the central government.

In a statement in the Lok Sabha tonight, Mr Vajpayee said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ram Prakash Gupta had made it abundantly clear to him that his government would follow the agenda of the central government (where the construction of the Ram mandir at the disputed site at Ayodhya did not figure).

Mr Gupta in a letter to the Prime Minister today had also made it clear his recent statement at Ayodhya in this regard was misquoted by a section of the Press and that their agenda was that of the National Democratic Alliance.

Mr Gupta’s reported statement that Ram mandir was on the agenda of his government had created a storm in the Lok Sabha, virtually paralysing the proceedings during most part of the day today with the angry Opposition demanding that the Prime Minister should clarify the position.

With the Leader of the Opposition, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, making a special appearance to listen to the Prime Minister, the Congress members did not seek any further clarification.

Informing members that he had come to the House after talking to the UP Chief Minister, Mr Vajpayee said Mr Gupta told him he had never made any statement on Ayodhya saying that the issue of contraction of Ram temple was part of the state government’s agenda.

He read out from a letter from the Chief Minister saying that the state government was bound by the national agenda of the NDA and that it would follow it.

Earlier, the Lok Sabha which witnessed tumultuous scenes with the Opposition forcing two adjournments on the Ayodhya issue during the day resumed business after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan assured the agitated members that the Prime Minister would clarify on the Ram Mandir issue later.

As the House reassembled at 4 p.m. Congress members kept up the pressure demanding that the Prime Minister should adhere to the commitment made by him yesterday that he would inform the factual position about the statement made by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ram Prakash Gupta on the mandir issue.

Mr Gupta’s assertion that the Ram mandir issue continued to be on the party’s agenda rocked the House since yesterday with certain allies of the BJP joining hands with the Opposition in demanding that the Prime Minister clarify the position. The Opposition today insisted that Mr Vajpayee fulfil the commitment he had made in the House yesterday.

Order was restored in the House when Mr Mahajan announced the Prime Minister would make a statement before the House adjourned.

The House also witnessed a brief wrangle over the absence of Home Minister L.K. Advani when the House took up a discussion on the security situation in the Kashmir valley.

As soon as the Lok Sabha reassembled after the first adjournment at 2 p.m. Mr Madhavrao Scindia (Congress) demanded clarification from the Prime Minister on the statement of the UP Chief Minister. He was supported by Mr Priyaranjan Das Munshi, Mr Satyabrat Chaturvedi and other Congress members.

They were not satisfied with the response of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan that whatever clarification was sought in the House on the issue was given by the Prime Minister.He had not promised to come back to the House on the issue, Mr Mahajan said.But the Congress members continued to remain firm on their demand.

Mr Mahajan said whatever clarification was to be given on the issue had been given by the Prime Minister. But the Congress members remained adamant.

Earlier, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for one and a half hours today till 2 p.m. following pandemonium as the Congress and other Opposition parties attempted to raise the Ayodhya issue.

During zero hour, Congress Deputy Leader in the House Madhavrao Scindia sought to know from Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi of the assurance given by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee about the clarification to be sought from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ram Prakash Gupta on his reported statement on the Ayodhya issue.

He was supported by other Opposition members. The BJP members alleged that by raising the issue repeatedly the Opposition was trying to divert the attention of the House from other important issues. But shouts and counter-shouts continued despite repeated requests of the Speaker to maintain decorum.

The Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, today expressed regret at ‘unwittingly hurting’ the sentiments of the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Manmohan Singh over certain remarks he had made and informed the Rajya Sabha that the Congress had officially stated it was willing for a fresh inquiry into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.