Tuesday, July 5 2005 16:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Surat: Notwithstanding the terrorist strike on Ramjanambhoomi at Ayodhya, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) president L K Advani was the target of attack in the discussions on the final day of the three-day RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) conclave in Surat today (July 5, 2005).

Participating in the scheduled discussion on the political situation in the country, which were briefly interrupted by the news of the terrorist attack, provincial organisers of the Sangh criticised Advani for his controversial remarks in Pakistan last month, sources said.

By making such a statement on Pakistan founder Mohd Ali Jinnah, Ayodhya demolition and Akhand Bharat, the BJP chief has not only questioned the core ideology of the Sangh but also confused RSS cadre across the country, they said.

Even while discussing the attack on the temple, a senior functionary asked, "Advani had described the demolition as the saddest day of his life, what does he have to say now."

However, in his first public comments on the meeting, RSS spokesman Ram Madhav told sources that reports of resolution being moved against Advani and a core committee being appointed to review ties with BJP were "baseless". "These reports are baseless," he said.

Asked about reports that former RSS spokesman and its national executive member M G Vaidya has been appointed as an interlocutor to deal with BJP in place of Joint General Secretary Madan Das Devi, he said, "No such arrangement has been made".

Dismissing reports suggesting that discussions on the controversy surrounding Advani's Pakistan visit has been deferred in view of the attack on Ayodhya, he said parleys were on as scheduled and details would be divulged either tomorrow (July 6, 2005) or day-after-tomorrow (July 7, 2005).

The three-day meeting, being attended by the Sangh Parivar top brass, is the first high-level meeting of the RSS after Advani's controversial visit to Pakistan.

At the conclave, several pracharaks described the BJP chief's statement as "unnecessary and avoidable" and castigated him for resorting to the "same politics of appeasement" which the party had all along opposed.

Some provincial organisers and functionaries also regretted that though Advani had sought to retract from his statements but has neither clarified nor apologised for the same, the sources said.

The pracharaks suggested that RSS should extend its support to BJP only on the condition that it restores primacy of ideology and distances itself from personality cult.

They also demanded that the party take action against its leaders who have been critical of the Sangh.

Some senior RSS functionaries, however, have been against the Sangh being seen as interfering directly in politics including BJP leadership.

The sources said no "earthshaking" decisions were expected to be taken at the Surat conclave as generally the RSS National Executive takes such crucial decisions.

However, RSS pointsman in BJP and party General Secretary Sanjay Joshi, who is representing BJP at the conclave, would be asked to convey the sentiments of the meeting to the party leadership.