BOMBAY: Removal from office has not changed the peripatetic nature of former deputy prime minister Mr Devi Lal who was in Bombay, enroute to Nagpur to attend a farmer’s convention.

He said the Ram Temple, Babri issue was wholly needless. There are so many Temples, between say Ayodhya and Peshawar that are lying disused. Does anybody bother about them? There are so many dilapidated temples like many between Punjab and Delhi, why has nobody raised a fuss over them? Why all this tamasha.

Why is it so?

Because of politics. The fuss over the Ram JanambhoomiBabri Masjid has nothing to do with religion it is entirely a controversy created by political interests, who have become emboldened by the fact that during the 1989 elections they succeeded electorally as never before.

What is worrying me is that this period’ marks the emergence of powerful communal forces. Let us not forget that between 1945 and 1947 such forces were able to partition of India. If we are not watchful they could do it again.

What would you suggest to solve the problem?

Leave it to the religious leaders and do not allow politicians to interfere. What business do political parties have to meddle in religious issues? Either leave it to religious leaders or let the residents of Faizabad settle the problem themselves.

It is disturbing to see Advani’s Rath Yatra. He is exploiting religion for narrow political ends. He should not try to yoke Hindus and politics to the same chariot. He is shamelessly using the blind faith of people to improve the political standing of his party.

But if he is stopped, the BJP will withdraw support to the National Front government.

So what? In my view, the National Front leaders should build a secular coalition without communal parties. It took so much effort to get just two lakh people out of Kuwait. Does anyone think it will be possible to shift 14 crore Muslims from India? This country does not belong just to Hindus, it belongs to all. I feel it is time for a realignment of political forces.

Would you include the Congress in this?

Certainly, after all that party won freedom, that party except for a few years ruled for four decades, What is wrong in taking the help to preserve the integrity or the country? For make no mistake the country’s very unity is in danger now.

 ‘There is a view that the decision to implement the Mandal formula has helped in this process of disintegration.

O.K. my view on Mandal is very clear, the decision was just to finish me within the party but haying said that, let me clarify that I am not against reservation. My point is that all farmers should be classified as backward.

How would you define farmers?

All those who have studied in a village school can be called farmers. I would not allow anyone who has studied in an elite city school to get the benefit of reservation. On the other hand all educated in village schools should get the benefit. The expenditure per student is about Rs.3, 000 per month in an elite city school whereas in a rural school it is not even one per cent of that.

Apart from thus giving the benefits of reservation to the truly poor, would adopt a policy of one job per home, The govt should provide at least one job per family, especially to poor families without looking at caste. This would strengthen and expand Mandal and not, as people falsely claim, sabotage it. Task you would Kanshi Ram be my friend if I were against Mandal?

In case a political realignment takes place, would Mr V.P.Singh continue to be the leader?

I am not sure. During the 1989 elections there was a lot of anger against Rajiv. But that is nothing compared to the anger I am now seeing against Mr V.P. Singh.

‘When circumstances change, there may be a need for leader to change also. Thus there is a chance that new equations, new leaders, may emerge very soon.

Article extracted from this publication >> October 26, 1990