Sources close to deputy leader of BJP in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swarajsaid Rajnath Singh expressed his desire to speak on any one of the issues in currency in the ongoing session of Parliament.
Deputy leader of BJP in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, who was to initiate the debate on her party's behalf on the Liberhan Commission report, today decided to bestow the honour on president Rajnath Singh, an offer he readily accepted.
Sources close to Swaraj said Rajnath Singh expressed his desire to speak on any one of the issues in currency in the ongoing session of Parliament.
Swaraj is said to have suggested the sugarcane price issue but the BJP president rejected it as he felt the topic was virtually dead after the opposition demands were ceded to by the government.
Rajnath also had a problem with dates as he is spending most of his time campaigning for his party in poll-bound Jharkhand.
Keeping these aspects in mind, Swaraj then offered that he speak on the Liberhan Commission report in which RSS and other organs of the Sangh Parivar as well as senior BJP leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi have been indicted. Rajnath is said to have readily given his consent to it.
Sources close to Swaraj said she suggested that as per the protocol and preference by seniority, Rajnath Singh — being the party president — should initiate the debate and not speak after her. This too was accepted by him and he will be the first BJP leader to speak in the debate on December 1. There is a clamour among BJP leaders to participate in the Liberhan report debate as discrediting and rubbishing the 900-odd page document could win the leader brownie points with the RSS, which is increasing its hold on the party.
Sources said RSS would be keenly watching the Liberhan Commission debate in Parliament. RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat has already ruled out giving up Hindutva and the organisation's core agenda, which includes building of a Ram temple at Ayodhya.
While Rajnath Singh, who is not really known for his debating skills in Parliament, saw this as an opportunity to get closer to RSS, Swaraj seems to have played a martyr by her act of courtesy. She will anyway get her pound of flesh when she speaks later in the debate.
Advani is likely to be the last speaker before the government reply to the debate. Joshi may also express his thoughts though a section within the party has been citing the issue of propriety where the two indicted leaders should refrain from speaking against the report.
Sources said Advani is likely to use this opportunity to act as a statesman by not speaking about his indictment and focus entirely on the naming of Vajpayee in the report.
He is likely to emphasise on his proximity to the RSS and his desire to see a grand Ram temple at Ayodhya with the aim of pleasing the Sangh Parivar and defer talks of his impending retirement.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}