Editorial

This is a great chance for the Hindus to rally and fight!

Cabinet note apart, the dilemma that has driven the government seeking postponement is the dreaded political consequence they face. They want to think it is surmountable but they are not sure and this is the dilemma!

Secondly, if they want to beat a retreat they are also evaluating the political implications of their various options of retreat. The fate of the matter is stuck at the Supreme Court.

Can they be proactive and say: "OK, this is not a good project and it was ill-conceived and was born of the political compulsion of a coalition government. Honestly, this isn't good and we wish to abandon it." - This is definitely the least possible scenario.

Secondly, they can say it is a good project but not so much as demand it in such a way that the SC would rule against it. That could bring about a resolution but then the Hindu outfits and the BJP could continue to charge them that they are anti-Hindus bent on destroying God's creation. And the DMK and the communists get turned off and kill the coalition.

The third option for them would be to play a Narasimha Rao and postpone resolution of this indefinitely. But then the SC should acquiesce to it and it would need Dr.Subramanian Swamy's consent but that would unlikely be forthcoming. Dr.SS wants it declared a heritage site and he knows he cannot play an Ayodhya Ram Janma Bhoomi here. Unlike Ayodhya case that brought religious conflict that the secular government could exploit to thwart a resolution, Ramasethu breach was conceived by greed of profiteering by an atheist outfit and Dr.SS would have only his political sucide to accede to an irresolution.

This is a great chance for the Hindus to rally and fight!

Anbu