Most BJP leaders, though avoiding comment, found Katiyar’s idea untenable. They said from the logicistical point of view, there was no way the BJP could meet with the money demand on a massive scale for the offer. Besides, it smacked of a lack of confidence in the constitutional machinery, which was not in the national interest.

Sources in the RSS were also dismissive of Katiyar’s offer. The memory of the recent success of the police in foiling an attack on the RSS office at Nagpur still fresh, the sources said, ‘‘Sarsanghchalak K S Sudarshan has also given a call to people to co-operate with the Government in fighting terror.’’ ‘‘There is no way the job can be undertaken by any political party,’’ they added.