London: Owen Bennet Jones of BBC and V.P Singh were discussing the destruction of the Babri mosque and the aftermath.
Mr.Owen Bennet Jones started his commentary about V.P Singh former Prime Minister of India and the leader of the Janata Dal party whose government also faced the challenge over the Ayodhya temple/mosque dispute when it was in office and was brought down from power partly because of this issue.
OBJ: So what is his reaction to the event of the last few days?
V.P Singh: It is a very sad thing you see We are trying our best that normalcy returns and 1 hope normalcy will return What has happened in Ayodhya has hurt all of us but now we have to repair the damage.
OBJ: Do you think that the Prime Minister is doing enough to repair that damage?
V.P Singh: No he has been instrumental in the damage in the fact that we warmed him repeatedly. He got intelligence report that the mosque is going to be destroyed. And in spite with all the authority of the government of India he did nothing and I do not think that he heading the Indian government there will be any credibility on any action that takes.
OBJ: You say he did nothing. What precisely do you think that he should have done on the basis of information that he had before that weekend’s events?
V.P Singh: For instance there was a similar situation when we were in power and we did not allow the Babri masjid to be demolished or the court order to be violated. In fact what has happened the BJP has demolished the mosque and the Prime Minister has demolished the Indian state and its authority.
OBJ: Well the Prime Minister has said that he is committed to secularism and that is what he wants to protect in India Don’t you think that at this time of great instability that it is incumbent on you to give him your support in that?
V.P Singh: So long he heads the government. What is the credibility of the government on secularism and that they will uphold the constitution and the rule of law?
OBJ: What is your attitude to the fact the Congress Party is now relying on Communist Party support rather than the BJP support it used to enjoy?
V.P Singh: It is dependent on issues. We also supported him and gave him all the authority to uphold the Supreme Court and the BJP was isolated in the national integration council. So support is not to the government but the support is to the country and the nation and if the government stands by it can support? There by not a question of supporting the government it is supporting the people and the country.
OBJ: What you are saying I think could be interpreted as an attempt to gain political advantage from and what a very difficult circumstance for the country?
Y.P Singh: No not political advantage. You see the grievous emotional hurt that this Babri masjid demolition has caused the letting down of the Supreme Court total erosion of the Indian state and the authority of the Indian government and also our image outside. The least that the Prime Minister could do is to resign as an act of national repentance and moral acts do have an impact and we expect the Prime Minister to come up to that level.
(Excepted from “The New York Times”.”)
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