Thursday, June 9 2005 20:42 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) tonight (Jun 9, 2005) insisted that its misgivings on L K Advani's praise for Jinnah be removed and ruled out any discussion on his remarks that Pakistan's founder was secular.

"Our misgivings should be removed. And BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leaders know what needs to be done," RSS spokesman Ram Madhav said in reply to questions on what would satisfy the RSS that could leave to resolution of the leadership crisis in the BJP.

On Advani's call for a debate on his remarks on Jinnah and other issues in Pakistan, Madhav said, "There is no need for a debate 60 years after independence (Advani's praise for Jinnah). He may have said something in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan. If this is the understanding of Jinnah, who was responsible for the partition of the country religious lines."

He said Advani's statements on Jinnah and that the Akhand Bharat concept was irrelevant did not "jell with our ideology. We cannot accept that Jinnah is secular".

He dismissed suggestions that RSS had set its face against continuance of Advani and the redrafted resolutions of BJP for resolving the crisis.

"We have never interferred with the drafting of the resolution. We have never asked them tell us what they were saying in the resolution or what they should do."

Asked whether RSS would accept return of Advani as BJP President, Madhav said it was completely an internal affair of the BJP and its leaders whether to accept his resignation or not.

To a question whether BJP would be able to resolve the crisis, he said, "The party has mature leaders who understand implications of all these things. We can't tell them what they have to do."

Asked about tomorrow's meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Board, he said, "Advani know's what we want. He will do what is appropriate. We hope tomorrow it will be over."