BJP’s Agni Pariksha

“In a democracy, the Congress says it has no faith in a parliamentary debate, is not interested in system correction, and is suspicious about the judiciary’s bona fides.’

The recent revelations in the Tehelka taps have all but destroyed the BJP’s USP — its squeaky clean reputation. As the BJP gets to work to clean up its act, Narendra Mody, general secretary in charge of the party organisation—who is likely to play a more important role in the coming days—admits to Smita Gupta that the party’s image has taken a beating. But, he says, it will soon emerge from its agni pariksha:

The BJP says the charges made aganist it in the Tehelka tapes are baseless. But the RSS says there was substance in the charges.

From the first day, the BJP has been asking for an enquiry. We also feel that the cloud of suspicion must be lifted and the truth must come out. The guilty must be punished, the innocent should be protected. The BJP is India’s first ruling party that is it self asking for an enquiry – it is the Opposition that is running away from it. We want an enquiry even though we know we are innocent.

When the Congress defence minister, V P Singh, made even more serious allegations against the then government, Rajiv Gandhi refused to have either a discussion or an enquiry. That is the difference between the Congress and the BJP.

But what about the RSS statement?

I don’t have the exact wording, but I know the RSS, too, favours an enquiry.

Despite his resignation George Fernandes remains convenor of the NDA. The government says he will soon be back as defence minister. He’s been given a clean chit before the completion of the enquiry.

No, it only reflects the confidence we have in our colleagues. It reflects our belief in our innocence.

You have already decided the outcome of the enquiry. And yet you expect people to believe it will be fair.

I am surprised that a 115-year-old party like the Congress, which has held many enquiries in its time in government, should cast doubts on the integrity of a Supreme Court judge. In a democracy, the Congress says it has no faith in a parliamentary debate, is not interested in system correction, and is suspicious about the judiciary’s bona fides. Are we to believe that a Supreme Court judge will be biased but the Congress is unbiased? Will the people swallow this?

You admit the need for system correction.

Who can deny the need for system correction given the direction the country has taken in the last 50 years? Who can deny that corruption has grown, that there has been deterioration in public values? Anyone who does not admit the weaknesses in our society, in public life, whether that is reflected in the political, administrative or any other sphere.

But it was the BJP which, when it came to power, said it was a party with a difference; that it would clean up the system muddied by the Congress.

We are still a party with a difference. In Narasimha Rao’s time, how did the Congress respond to scams? In the JMM case, he was punished. How did the Congress respond? There will be shortcomings in public life. But whereas the Congress always tried to cover up, we want to clean up. For instance, after the NDA government came to power, it decided that any defence deal worth more than Rs. 75 crore would be sent to the CAG.

You had said there would be no more agents.

Tehelka’s camera team spent more time on the footpaths and in hotels. Even after six months, they could not get to the point where a deal is struck, a contract is signed. Just talking across a table is not enough.

They got into the defence minister’s living room and extracted a promise from the president of his party, Jaya Jaitly, that she would speak to “saheb” to ensure no “injustice was done to them”.

It is better that a word-to-word transcript is placed in front of the people and a discussion conducted. So far, we have only heard the Opposition view. Besides, they got to Jaya Jaitly, not to the defence minister.

Are you saying that getting to the presidents of the BJP and the Samata Party and having cosy discussions with them on defence deals does not prove that the system is porous?

Neither Bangaru Laxman nor Jaya Jaitly promised or processed anything. They just met them. How can people in public life refuse to meet anyone?

It is being said that Laxman is a victim of the BJP’s internal politics, the differences between the Advani and Vajpayee camps. He himself gave a hint of this in a TV interview.

Those who want to defame the BJP have been saying so for years. The individuals keep changing but the theory is the same. Laxman has not said anything like this. This is the party that has given him so much, so much respect and honour.

Fernandes has been promised that he will be back in the cabinet in four months. But the same courtesy was not extended to Laxman?

The functioning of a party and the functioning of a government can’t be measured in the same way. Within the BJP, there are many jobs for different individuals. I’m not the authority to declare anything but I know the character of my party. After Laxman emerges from this agni pariksha, his talents will once again be utilised by the BJP.

The demand for the resignations of the PMO officials, such as Brajesh Mishra, continues. but the PM is not giving in.

Those who have resigned so far have done so on their own. No one has been asked to resign. As far as government officials are concerned, those whose voices were heard on tape, action has been taken against them. Hundreds of other names are mentioned; it would be unjust to act on the basis of that.

You may dismiss R K Jain and R K Gupta as conmen. But even Laxman has mentioned Brajesh Mishra.

Laxman has said his words were distorted and has demanded an enquiry.

So you are saying that it is up to the PMO officials themselves to quit.

I’ve already given a detailed reply to this in answer to your previous questions.

Even before this present crisis, the Pattali Makkal Katchi left the NDA, now the Trinamul Congress has quit; there is trouble in the Samata Party and the Janata Dal-U. How stable is this government?

This government is stable. Mamata Banerjee has herself said there can be no better PM than Vajpayee. The Trinamul Congress will continue to support the NDA from outside.

So the government is stable and it has not lost any of its credibility.

After a parliamentary debate and an enquiry, the NDA will emerge unscathed from its agni pariksha.