New Delhi: In a veiled warning to BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), which is seriously contemplating returning to Hindutva ideology, JDU (Janata Dal-United) today (August 1, 2004) said efforts to revive the controversial issue would force it to part ways with NDA (National Democratic Alliance), as it could never compromise with "religious bigotry".

"We joined the NDA only after the three controversial issues had been removed from the Agenda of the NDA. If any effort is now made to revive them, we shall have to take another road. We shall never compromise with religious bigotry," a resolution adopted at the end of the two-day meeting of JDU National Executive said.

Briefing reporters on the deliberations, JDU President George Fernandes said "majority" of the delegates expressed views on the issue and "quite a few" said there was no need to stay on in the alliance.

However, responding to questions, he said that in the coming Assembly elections in some states, BJP and JDU would fight together as "the alliance is still on. We have not parted ways with NDA".

The resolution said, "JDU is proud of that heritage which our ancestors bequeathed to us over 5,000 years. A secular polity was at the core of these values. Its roots are in the democratic socialist movement led by Acharya Narendra Dev, Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohiya and their likes, men, whose minds were influenced by Mahatma Gandhi's life and thoughts".

It called upon "all socialists and like-minded" to rally together and organise the toiling masses who have "always been betrayed by the Congress and its allies".

To a question as to how he rated NDA's future, Fernandes, who is also the Convenor of the Alliance, said "we are working to see that NDA sticks together" and stood by its agenda.