The BJP?s reluctance to come out in open support of those like Swami Aseemanand who have been linked with Hindu terror has created unease among some sections of the party, but the dominant view which prevailed was that the focus should not be diverted from the issue of corruption which has helped in keeping the UPA on the backfoot.
Unlike in the past ? particularly after the arrest of Sadhvi Pragya Thakur in connection with the Malegaon blasts ? there was no clamour in the party to make a big issue out of the arrests of sadhus by investigating agencies and the leakage of details of investigation apart from a mention about hindu terror by BJP chief Nitin Gadkari in his address at the national executive.
That too, while Gadkari spoke in detail about attempts to defame RSS and its leaders like Indresh Kumar in the closed-door session, the text of his speech made available to the media merely pointed out that ?within the Congress, there are elements who ?try to play with the sensibilities of majority community by blowing up the threat of peripheral groups to rake up the so called Hindu Terrorism.?
He had also attacked the UPA for compromising the war on terror by undermining the threat from one group and demonizing the other. Sources said during informal conversations, some of the national executive members like Bhagat Singh Koshiyari and Seshadri Chari pointed out to Gadkari that the issue of saffron terror should be discussed at the meet.
It is learnt that Gadkari made it clear to them that the party would not like to shift the focus from corruption and it sees the revelations as a Government ploy to divert the focus. Hence there was no discussion. Moreover, sources said the party also does not want to be seen as harping on hardcore Hindutva issues all the time.
?There is certainly a change and for the good. In earlier occasions like after the arrest of Pragya Thakur, we have seen many members wanting to raise the issue. This time, no one inside the meeting spoke about it. It is good if we can keep on attacking on corruption and highlight and speak about development and good governance,? a national executive member said.