NEW DELHI: While expressing serious concern over the deteriorating communal situation in the country as a whole, and UP in particular, over the Ram Janam bhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute the Central Secretariat of the Lok Dal (B) stated that the Congress (I) wanted to “reap an electoral harvest again like it did during the 1984 general election by promoting a Hindu-Sikh confrontation.”
The resolution adopted yesterday by the party accused the Government of deliberately allowing the situation to drift to serve the interests of the ruling Congress (l) at the Centre. The Lok Dal (B) said the administration completely failed in taking preventive steps in Muzaffarnagar and other places although it was clear to everybody that tension was mounting due to bandh calls given by rival factions.
Releasing a copy of the resolution to newsmen here today, Mr. HN Bahuguna, President of the Party said the Government went to the extent of banning his entry to the entire district in view of communal tension. He said it was unfortunate that when the Government failed in its duty in curbing riots, it issued a blanket ban on all political and social workers to prevent them from playing their role in restoring normalcy. He said that the ban order was unwarranted and questioned his integrity as a secular leader. He disclosed that the District Magistrate had already apologized to him for issuing the ban order and U.P. Chief Minister Mr. N.D. Tiwari, had taken steps to rectify the situation.
He demanded that a meeting of the National Integration Council should be called immediately to discuss such an important matter threadbare and take a firm view of the situation. It was unfortunate that the NIC meeting had not been summoned to discuss such an important matter which is threatening the unity of the country.
Mr. Bahuguna said a copy of the memorandum had also been submitted to Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, Vice President this morning urging him to intervene in the matter.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 4, 1988
