No need to meet Thackeray on Muslims issue -- Laxman

No need to meet Thackeray on Muslims issue -- Laxman
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

MUMBAI, OCT 14: BJP national president Bangaru Laxman today said he need not meet Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray to explain his party's policy on minorities.

"There is some misunderstanding on part of the Sena chief. He has read only the headline and not the full text," Laxman said while reacting on Thackeray's criticism of BJP on its new policy on Muslims at a press conference here. Thackeray had flayed the BJP after it adopted a pro-Muslim policy in its national convention at Nagpur last month. "There is no necessity to meet him. I have conveyed my message through you," the BJP president told reporters when asked if he would meet the Sena chief to explain his party's stand.

He defended the pro-Muslim policy adopted by his party. "BJP is the largest party in the country and it cannot ignore a major section of the population. We will have to take all sections of the society with us," he reasoned.

Laxman also invited the dalit parties in Maharashtra to join hands with the BJP. "It is time for the dalit and Ambedkarite organisations to do honest introspection in respect of their attitude to the BJP," he said and added that the dalit organisations had kept distance from the BJP under the influence of the false propaganda of its adversaries.

"They should realise that the BJP is their natural ally as it is wedded to an all-embracing ideology of nationalism," he said.

The BJP will undertake a campaign between November 1 to December 30 to reach the Nagpur Message to every house, he informed.

He said the BJP-led NDA government had decided to develop the Chaitya Bhoomi, memorial of Dr B R Ambedkar at Dadar, into a national monument and appealed the state government and BMC to cooperate with the Centre in its plan.

Laxman also said that the BJP did not want to raise the Ram temple issue for the ensuing elections of Uttar Pradesh Assembly. "The issue is pending with the judiciary now, it is not necessary for us to take it up," he expressed.

He denied the allegations that the BJP was appeasing Muslims for the sake of power. "I am not the first president of our party to advocate better relations with Muslims. It is because we have delivered the goods in the last two and a half year in power, my statements are being taken seriously," he said.

Earlier, Laxman listed the achievements of the NDA government in its first year in office.