JD-U condemns Orissa violence, but opposes president’s rule in the state
NEW DELHI: The continuing violence by Sangh Parivar cadres against Christians is causing serious concern in the BJP-led NDA.
Janata Dal-United (JD-U) chief Sharad Yadav has already taken up the issue with Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik and will soon meet the prime minister.
LK Advani has despatched senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu to camp in the state capital Bhubaneswar, aware that the violence by its sister organisations is once again painting the party in communal colour. Naidu reportedly left for Bhubaneswar on Sunday morning.
Earlier, taking a serious note of reports of a nun’s rape in riot-hit Kandhamal, Advani called up Patnaik and asked him to expedite probe into the case and ensure stringent punishment to the culprits.
There are clear differences between NDA constituents BJP, which is a partner in the Biju Janata Dal-led Patnaik government in Orissa, and JD-U. While all of them are opposed to president’s rule in Orissa — as threatened by Union home minister Shivraj Patil on Saturday — BJP’s NDA partners have avoided talking about a ban on the RSS outfit Bajrang Dal. BJP leaders have condemned the proposal as “equating a nationalist organisation with a terrorist outfit like Simi”.
BJP, meanwhile, once again warned the Centre against putting Orissa under president’s rule. Its deputy leader in the Lok Sabha VK Malhotra said this would be a clear case of double standards. He listed Nandigram and Singur in Bengal and the violence in Assam as cases where the Centre did not even see it fit to issue directions to the state governments despite serious and prolonged violent disturbance.
“The Centre will pay a heavy price to the people if it takes any such step,” he said.
JD(U) general secretary Shambhunath Srivastav agreed with BJP on the question of article 356. “President’s rule is no solution. The Centre should help the state government in tackling the problem more effectively,” he said.
That the party is clearly unhappy with the situation was evident as he added: “What is happening in Orissa is unfortunate. Sharad Yadav has impressed upon Naveen Patnaik that whatever the problems he may be facing, he must act more strongly.”
s_rajesh@dnaindia.net 
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