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India Shifts to Right as Advani Designated Deputy PM
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| Advani at a RSS training
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By
IOL South Asia correspondent
NEW
DELHI, July 2 (IslamOnline)- The most important component of a vital
cabinet reshuffle taking place Monday evening, July 1, was finalized
on Saturday, June 29, with Union Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani
being designated as Deputy Prime Minister.
A
Presidential Palace communiqué stated that the President designated
Advani as Deputy Prime Minister on the advice of the Prime Minister.
The communiqué added that he would continue to look after the home
ministry and would not be sworn in afresh when new ministers are sworn
in.
The
75-year old Advani will be the seventh deputy Prime Minister to hold
office. The post of Deputy PM does not have any Constitutional
validity as it does not exist in the Constitution.
Any
one becoming the deputy Prime Minister is described as minister and
not deputy PM.
Prime
Minister Vajpayee’s speech at Lucknow Friday June 28 indicated that
Advani’s elevation to the post of deputy PM remained matters of
hours only. The NDA allies in the ruling coalition also formally
endorsed Advani’s appointment.
During
the Janata Party government under the prime ministership of Morarji
Desai, Advani held the position of information and broadcasting
minister. He has been home minister ever since the Vajpayee government
took over in 1998.
It
was under the leadership of Advani in 1989 that the controversial rath
yatra (motorized chariot journey) for the construction of a Ram
temple in Ayodhya replacing the historic Babri Masjid was taken out.
BJP,
with only two seats in Parliament then consolidated its position with
119 seats when elections took place in the aftermath of the rath
yatra, with its anti-Muslim rhetoric that unleashed terrible riots
leading to the death of thousands of Muslims.
No
reaction from the key opposition Congress Party was available. CPM
leader Harkishen Singh Surjeet has criticized Advani’s elevation and
said that the Prime Minister’s move would marginalize other NDA
constituents.
Muslim
leaders and organizations have not yet reacted on Advani’s
promotion.
Advani
has already been enjoying the No. 2 position in the Union Cabinet and
his elevation as Deputy Prime Minister has been merely formalized.
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| Advani a day before demolition of Babri Masjid
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The
elevation has also signaled the beginning of the end of the Vajpayee
era. So far, the Prime Minister was reluctant in bringing Advani to
the center stage.
Time
magazine’s report on Prime Minister’s health which caused a
controversy may be another factor in propelling the move and the
virtual admission of the fact that the Prime Minister would not be
able to carry on the show for too long.
At
the same time, Advani’s elevation to the post is yet another signal
that the Hindutva hawks are here to stay and would be occupying the
center stage.
The
retention of Narendra Modi as chief minister of Gujarat despite
international outcry over anti-Muslim pogrom in the state, the
appointment of temple-supporter Vinay Katiyar as chief of BJP in Uttar
Pradesh, the RSS endorsement of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) stand that
it would not abide by the court’s verdict on Ayodhya all are grim
indicators of the hard-line Hindutva coming into full play.
With
Advani’s ascent the liberal mask of BJP falls and the country shifts
further towards the right.
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