Editorial...

On a pilgrimage of
devotion and duty

On the auspicious Ramnavmi on April 6, which also happens to be the BJP Foundation Day, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Shri Lal Krishna Advani commenced the Bharat Suraksha Yatra from Dwarika (Gujarat) and BJP National President Shri Rajnath Singh from Jagnnath Puri (Orissa) amidst an air of gaiety and enthusiasm. The BJP opponents did employ every means to thwart the Yatra. As a first reaction BJP detractors, particularly, the Prime Minister said that the Yatra should not be taken out at all. They tried to raise a great hue and cry giving different reasons for their opposition. Actually, their fears primarily were born out of realisation that this Yatra will expose UPA failures and wrongdoing in the last about two years of their reign. In spite of all the hurdles created by UPA partners and supporters and threats to the life of Shri Rajnath Singh and Shri L. K. Advani the Yatra is marching ahead successfully as scheduled and will conclude on May 10.

It is a grand BJP public awareness campaign launched to highlight the sense of insecurity pervading in the minds of the people through the medium of this Bharat Suraksha Yatra. It should attract support from every right thinking person, even if not in agreement with BJP. Braving scorching May-April heat in fulfillment of party's political commitment, particularly at a time when it is not an election time, is a matter that should have been appreciated. BJP continues to be the only political party for whom interests of the nation are supreme. It does not care for the vote bank politics. Wish political parties in India could display such courage to rise above narrow political considerations and support the cause to realise and protect national interest!

The situation in the country has deteriorated to such an extent that nobody's life and property is secure today, not even the highest seat of democracy, the Parliament. You are not free from fear even when you pray in a place of worship -- a temple, a mosque and a church. These places of worship are now under the guard of security forces. From the security bandobast it looks as if these holy places have been turned into police/military cantonments. The things have worsened so much that the feeling of insecurity reigns supreme where ever we go -- to enjoy a movie in a cinema hall, to travel by rail or air. Frisking has become the order of the day, even when we wish to pray in a holy place. One feels embarrassed and humiliated as if we are not tourists or travelers but only culprits. In the present times, these things have become unavoidable. We make a mention only to highlight the extent to which the situation has deteriorated.

It is but a courageous decision taken by BJP to reach out to the people traversing 5500 and 6000 kms in 35 days. We salute this courage of BJP leadership, particularly at a time when people prefer to keep themselves surrounded by security men so that their life is safe. But Shri Rajnath Singh and Shri L. K. Advani without caring for their personal safety have ventured into the yatra under open skies to educate the masses about the objectives for which the yatra has been launched.

Naxalites are keeping an eye on the twin yatra of Shri Advani and Shri Rajnath Singh. Advaniji has already been the target of one or two murderous attacks in the past. But both of them have cared a fig for the threats to their personal life in pursuit of the nobler goals of national interest. The Central government too has expressed concern over threats to their life. When the Centre found their determination firm undeterred by threats, 48 hours before the commencement of the yatra it decided to make both raths bullet-proof.

Instead of standing on prestige, the UPA should have pondered as to what made the two BJP leaders to embark upon this long yatra during this time of summer putting their own self to great stress and strain. Do the leaders in the opposition have no duty towards the people? Is a ruling party in our country free to take any decision unilaterally and the opposition is debarred from opposing it and educating the masses even if the policy or decision is against the interests of the people? Should the UPA government not have taken note of the positive and constructive aspects of the yatra?

During the last two years, functioning of the UPA government, in particular the Congress and the communists, it has ignored the opinion and verdicts of the courts. They were worried only about their vote bank. Is the decision to give reservation on the basis of religion in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution and in the interests of the nation? If such a decision is set aside by courts, is it morally right to introduce it by the back door? Should the State and the Central governments not honour the judgment given by Allahabad High Court on the issue of 'minority' status of Aligarh Muslim University? Should our armed forces be divided on religion basis by ordering a head-count of Muslims? Should the UPA government not respect the Supreme Court in the matter of revocation of the IMDT Act and instead justify its action through underhand techniques to realise its political and electoral designs?

Should the office of the Governor be misused to further the ruling party's interests in the States in contravention of the constitutional provisions, court verdicts and recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission report? Should the decision of the NDA, like POTA, very much in the interests of the nation, be overturned just on political considerations? Should NCERT textbooks be revised, without justification, to satisfy somebody's whims and to please certain communities ? Was it right to create a separate ministry for minorities? What was the justification for giving constitutional status to Minorities Commission?

Since the coming into power of Congress-led UPA about two years back, it has never taken Opposition seriously. Not only this. It has gone to the extent of treating Opposition as its enemy. Whether it was the Volcker Committee Report, or Mitrokhin Archives disclosing sale of country's interests for petty sums at the hands of KGB by Congress and communist leaders, or Rs. 18000 crore Scorpene deal, or de-freezing accounts of Quattrocchi involved in Bofors pay-off case, was it not the duty of government to have allowed an open discussion on these important issues? Is it a crime to take these issues to the people so that they know the facts?

India is a democracy - live, vibrant and strong. Congress is not indispensable for the country. The people have proved it a number of times. The six-year reign of NDA under the leadership of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee is a shining example of a government that did a lot to make the country raise its head high in the comity of nations and record remarkable progress. People of the country recall with pride the great achievements of that BJP-led government. People's mandate is very vital in democracy and it provides majority to a party or alliance to rule. BJP has strengthened the pillars of democracy by launching upon a rath yatra to educate the masses about the real issues involved for promoting the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country. We are sure the people of the 17 States through which the yatra will pass will give a big hand to this gigantic task at mobilising people for the national cause.

Sanjayji proved innocent

Politics of character assassination is nothing new. It was there even prior to the Mahabharata. But a person who does not lose patience and leaves everything to the judgment of God in this period of trial and transitional, he wins in the long run. By attempting to disrobe Draupadi, Duryodhan had tried not only to humiliate Pandavas, but his own family too. But such was the great patience and faith of Draupadi in the Ultimate Truth and Lord Krishna that he himself saved her honour. The mighty Duryodhan failed to unclothe the hapless Draupadi. This is true of politics too. Those who stand firm on their righteous stand, committed to the ideology, devoted to their work and duty like worshipping a god, and faith in the karyakartas, may for some moments get shaken by the storms of political intrigues, yet on the strength of their moral standing and integrity they come out true and successful out of their trials and tribulations they may be subjected to.
Shri Sanjay Joshi proved himself to be a person of that genre. He had set before himself a distinct way of life and definite goal to serve the nation. He became a pracharak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) although being an Engineering Graduate he was a lecturer in an Engineering College. Yet, he kicked that job and dedicated his life to the Bharatmata, took a vow to serve the nation and adopted RSS the medium to realise that goal. Later he involved himself in looking after the working of Bhartiya Janata Party organisation. In performance of that duty continuous tour, communication and contact with everybody became the only aim of his life. That made him the doyen of the eyes of the karyakartas and earned their love, affection and faith.

But such a life of humility, dedication and abdication is not to the liking of some in the present times. He is made the target of their attack. When they fail to achieve their objective, as a last resort they indulge in character assassination. This happened with Shri Sanjay Joshi. But at a time when morality and honesty are getting extinct from politics, Sanjayji set a new example. The moment the allegations surfaced, he did not wink for a while. He quit as General Secretary (Organisation) of BJP as also the post of RSS pracharak. He proved that for him morality and integrity were more important that any office however high or low it may be. Some thought otherwise. They felt he had acted in haste and he should have waited. But Sanjayji was not made of that mettle. He also presented the CD containing allegations against him to the Police for inquiry.

Such examples are very rare these days. He told the then BJP President Shri Advaniji and RSS leadership that till the moment truth didn't come out he would like to remain free from his duties. It was he who himself quit, he was not made to quit either by the BJP or the RSS. Neither did any individual make any complaint of any sort against him. Morality, integrity and sanctity occupy a great place in the field of social service. The demands of morality and integrity were much higher in the office Sanjayji held. He came up to the expectations of the party.

Sanjayji remained steadfast throughout. He did not feel shaken even for a moment. He maintained his composure. What would have been his state of mind in those 70 long days of solitude, trial and tribulation -- nobody can gauge. God is benevolent to the souls like Joshiji. And there could not have been a day more auspicious than the New Year day of Navsamvat that the MP police declared that the person shown in the CD did not match with the photograph of Shri Sanjay Joshi. The police investigation also brought out the fact that there was a conspiracy behind all this. In the end the truth prevailed. What was true actually proved to be true. The lid of falsehood stood blown off. The attempt to desecrate Shri Sanjay Joshi proved in vain and he came out unscathed from the angnipriksha he had subjected himself to. He returned to his own people with the same love and affection. Nothing had changed. RSS showered the affection he deserved. BJP accepted him back with open arms and handed over the moral responsibility of the organisation back to him.

Courage and patience have their own reward. Maybe, for some time one may have to suffer and feel dejected. But it has been proved not once, every time that only that person has been triumphant who had truth by his side. Shri Sanjay Joshi is the latest instance. From the day this unfortunate incident surfaced, BJP President Shri Rajnath Singh had expressed full confidence in him and declared that he will come out true and successful. That he did. And within two days Shri Rajnath Singh made him occupy the august office of General Secretary (Organisation) kept vacant since his resignation. Shri Sanjay Joshi won and so did all those who never fumbled in their faith in him even for a moment.