FAIZABAD: The former Prime Minister Mr V.P Singh launched a blistering attack on the BJP on Thursday saying its politics based On religion will lead the country to disintegration.

If BJP”s politics is accepted then with what face the country can reject the Khalistan based on religions the Janata Dal leader asked while addressing election meetings in Uttar Pradesh.

Mr V.P Singh who started this lef of his campaign on Wednesday addressed election meetings in central and eastern Uttar Pradesh. He launched his campaign in Lucknow parliamentary constituency from where the BJP leader Mr Atal Behari VAjpayee is contesting.

Later he addressed meetings in Barabanki Basti and Faizabad.

Most of his address was devoted to Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid controversy. Particularly in Faizabad which is 5 km away from Ayodhya Mr V.P Singh attacked the BJP severely.

Mr Singh said that the BJP was not interested in building a temple for Ram but was keen on demolition of the Babri masjid. At times striking a conciliatory note Mr Singh said if a temple was not built in Ayodhya where else could it be built.

He said his government had offered a site at Ram Katha Park a little distance away from the Babi masjid But the BJP did not agree to it as the party was not interested in a solution to the vexed issue he added. Mr Singh said that when it came to preferring demolition of a mosque or sacrifice of the Govt he preferred to forego power because a place of worship could not be destroyed.

He said he would have done the same thing be it a temple a Gurdwara or a church

Mr Singh’s tour began on a sore note when he was geared by a rebel candidate of his party at Lucknow airport in the Lucknow Cantonment constituency

Later it picked up tempo as he covered 200 km through four parliamentary constituencies canvasing support for candidates of his party and alliance parties.

Mr Singh made it clear that his decision on the Mandal Commission recommendations was for giving dignity to the oppressed backward classes and giving them a share in power structure.

He did not want confrontation and that was why he had also offered to reserve 5 to 10% jobs for people of the upper castes which was not properly projected by the media he said.

Mr Singh addressed meetings in Lucknow parliamentary constituency Ramasanhi Ghat (Barabanki) Faizabad town Harraiya and Basti town in Basti parliamentary constituency.

He immediately struck a rapport with his audience often preferring their conversational style.

His meetings had a good sprinkling of Muslim’s and people belonging to the dalit and backward communities.

Article extracted from this publication >> May 24, 1991