CALCUTTA, January 29: Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Pranab Mukherjee thinks it would not be correct to blame any individual for the demolition of Babri Masjid. "It was a matter of collective responsibility," he opined at press conference here on Wednesday.Mukherjee, however, refused to be drawn into a debate on whether his party was right in holding the former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao responsible for the demolition and consequently denying him the party ticket.
"It was the decision of the party president Sitaram Kesri and I have nothing more to say on this." He, however, reiterated that "we were all betrayed by the Sangh Parivar."
Earlier, during the press conference, Mukherjee said that Sonia's decision to steer the party's election campaign had already begun tilting the balance in the party's favour. "Her joining the election campaign which rejuvenated party workers will reflect in the election results," Mukherjee said. He ruled out any leadership crisis due to Sonia Gandhi's takingup the reigns of party's election campaign.
Claiming that Sonia Gandhi's regret for the Operation Blue-Star was much in the line of Indira Gandhi's when she talked about "giving a healing touch to the hurt psyche of the Sikh community" in broadcast to the nation on 7th June '84, a day after the operation, Mukherjee said: "Her regret didn't violate party's position on the issue."
He dismissed speculations that Sonia's entry into politics would result in a major top-level shake up in the AICC after the election. He said: "Mrs Gandhi urged the partymen to strengthen the party but she did not express lack of confidence in the present leadership."
Admitting that the coming election would be fought between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party, Mukherjee said like the several important leaders of his party, he also believed that the major issue for the elections was stability.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
