'It Is Possible Through Talks'

Transcript of the BBC Hindi Radio interview with the deputy prime ministerbroadcast on April 7.

Ram Dutt Tripathi: Mr Advani you have been the architect and the forcebehind the temple movement, but now you have been the Home Minister of the country for six years, and theDeputy Prime Minister for about two years,  what are your feelings once again about the cause which led tosuch a movement ?

L.K. Advani :  I feel that if the present situation couldchange, and if the grand temple be built in which common people could go and worship the deity they love somuch, it would be in the interest of all. I believe that the efforts that are going on in this direction would,soon after the general elections and the formation of the new government, definitely yield results.

Ram Dutt Tripathi: But there is a feeling amongst supporters of thetemple movement, that despite your party-led government having been there at the Centre for six years now, thekind of efforts required for temple construction have not really been as they should have been...

L.K. Advani : This is because there was so much resistance andbitterness in the beginning. And then, once we reached a conclusion that the solution would have to be throughmutual talks, and we sounded that, we have now found that it is possible through talks, this has been thedevelopment during last six-eight months, it is not a question of six years.

Ram Dutt Tripathi: What about restoring confidence among the Muslims, eventhe Muslim leaders talking to you? How do you reassure them, as their complaint is that for organisations likeVHP it is Ayodhya first, and then other things.  Even if the Muslim community  were to agree to theRam Temple in Ayodhya, what assurance would you give to them?

L.K. Advani : My understanding is that no-one is asking for anassurance. They have seen six years of our government. These six years have given the Muslim community thesatisfaction, that whatever they were told about the BJP, and the fear that was created in their minds andthat if BJP came to power they would not be safe, because of this and that, all that turned out to bebaseless.

Ram Dutt Tripathi: You have said that the Ayodhya movement helped a lotin your efforts to unite the Hindus. But don’t you feel now that this issue is counter-productive for you,and is a hurdle politically?

L.K. Advani : It is no hurdle. I believe that, if the Ayodhyamovement has been a uniting force for the Hindus, it would now be the uniting force for the entire society ofthe country . I say this because if the Hindus and Muslims of this country agree on this issue, what greaterachievement could be there ?

Ram Dutt Tripathi: Do you feel that the normalisation of relations withPakistan is having an impact on the attempts being made by you in improving harmony in India ?

L.K. Advani : I would say to some extent. But till where would thiseffort of normalisation of relations with Pakistan go, this would be known only in future. That is why whereason one hand we are making efforts to have good relations, on the other hand we have asked the security forcesto be vigilant all the time .There should be no lapse.