Guwahati, July 5: The BJP today tried to allay apprehensions among its Christian-dominated state units in the region, saying the revival of its Hindutva agenda had nothing to do with ?any religion?. This clarification comes in the wake of the en masse resignation by the party?s Mizoram unit last month.
Senior party leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told mediapersons here today that Hindutva has nothing to do with any religion.
?Our stand remains the same: equal treatment to all, appeasement of none,? Prasad said. He, however, added that the resignation of the entire Mizoram state unit could be caused by ?some local factors? rather than the party?s decision to toe the Hindutva line.
The Mizoram unit of the BJP had resigned en masse in protest against the party?s decision at the Mumbai convention to revive its ?Hindu agenda.?
?There is no revolt by Christians against the party per se. Khasis are no less Christian than Mizos, but our Meghalaya unit is intact,? he argued.
Prasad said despite repeated attempts at propaganda by its detractors, the party was growing in the region.
?From just one Christian MLA in the 1995, today we have 12 Christian legislators, including seven from Nagaland,? he added.
Prasad was here on his way back to Delhi from Shillong, where he had gone yesterday to attend the first death anniversary of former Meghalaya home minister and first Christian BJP legislator T.H. Rangad.
He said despite the initial ?sense of loss? caused by the defeat of the party in the Lok Sabha elections, the party functionaries were gearing up in Assam to face the 2006 Assembly elections.
?We will energise ourselves, widen our network and organise a series of agitations on the problems confronting Assam,? he said.
Prasad also asked the Congress to clarify its stand on the bill the BJP had introduced in the last Lok Sabha to scrap the controversial Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act. The bill lapsed following the dissolution of the Lok Sabha.
?We want a categorical answer from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, home minister Shivraj Patil and chief minister Tarun Gogoi on the Act,? he said.
On music maestro Bhupen Hazarika?s recent outbursts against the party?s state leadership for his defeat in the parliamentary elections, Prasad said the BJP leaders would like to sit with him to sort out the problems, if any.
He said Hazarika would continue to remain in the party. ?As a former information and broadcasting minister, I had a close association with him. He is a great icon of the nation and we are proud to have him in the party,? he added.