Hindutva overdrive gone wrong? BJP pulls out its hate-Muslim CD

Indian Express
April 05, 2007

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Hindutva overdrive gone wrong? BJP pulls out its hate-Muslim CD
Siddharth Kalhans


Party leaders run for cover, claim it was released as UP campaign material without their knowledge; EC will take a look

His party says senior leaders not shown CD

LUCKNOW, APRIL 4: n Integrity of Muslims is suspect ... Muslim youths are behind elopement of Hindu girls, they get support from their parents and clerics. Hindu girls are then forced to adopt Islam... Madrasa teachers are engaged in anti-national activities, still Mulayam gives aid to madrasas... If Muslims have first right to resources, what should Hindus do? Leave the country?

These are some of the utterances in a BJP CD, released in UP yesterday as part of the party’s campaign for the Assembly polls in the hope that it would help them win Hindu votes. But 24 hours later, the party hurriedly withdrew the twin-CD pack — it was called UP Victimised — and leaders began disowning it, saying it was never brought to their notice before its release.

BJP’s Lalji Tandon, who’s Leader of Opposition in the UP Assembly, admitted it was a “mistake” and asked the media not to show the CD to anyone. With the Election Commission also calling for a copy of the CD and promising action, state BJP president Kesrinath Tripathi too promised an inquiry to find out who prepared the CD.

BJP leader L K Advani, while making clear that the party’s central leadership had not been shown the CD, said he did not think any mention of Babri or the Godhra train attack could be deemed provocative. “State units do come out with posters carrying my and Atalji’s pictures. They don’t have to consult us for these posters and banners,” he said.

BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi too said that “the CD was not released officially but was meant for press preview. We are withholding it. Any portion, if found objectionable, will be deleted.”

For now, state BJP spokesperson Manoj Mishra has been removed from his post and party leaders have decided to take a look at all campaign material.

Remarks in CD meant to hurt

The BJP CD, while slamming both the UPA and Mulayam governments, makes some remarks which are meant to hurt and arouse passions. Consider these:

- During the Mulayam regime, iftaars were organised on the Ganga ghats in Haridwar, insulting Hindu religion

- Textbooks approved by the UPA government say goddess Durga was fond of liquor, Aurangzeb was a living saint, Lord Ram and Krishna were fictitious characters, Guru Gobind Singh was a Mughal employee