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Coming to the aid of a beleagured BJP, Defence Minister and NDA Convener George Fernandes has said that the ruling coalition's partners cannot dictate to the BJP on its relationship with the sangh parivar.
"It is for the BJP to decide on the nature of its relationship with the sangh parivar. As part of National Democratic Alliance, we have committed ourselves to a certain programme. Our (allies') concern should be to ensure that the programme is not diluted," Fernandes said.
He was responding to a question on the apprehensions raised by some allies, including his own Samata Party leaders, on the close relationship between the BJP and the parivar.
Fernandes said there was 'nothing new' in the BJP's ties with the sangh parivar.
Describing the Ayodhya imbroglio as a 'complex issue', Fernandes said, "All of us should be making efforts to ensure that it is resolved at the earliest."
Virtually endorsing the parivar's stand on the Ayodhya issue, the Samata Party leader also favoured its solution through dialogue 'as courts cannot decide on questions left behind by history'.
Courts at best could only decide on the title suit but not on what happened centuries back, he said.
Asked about the RSS' recent resolution at its All India General Council meeting in Bangalore asking Muslims to earn the goodwill of the majority community to ensure their safety in the country, he said, "We should not go by rhetoric."
Without criticising any particular organisation for the ongoing communal violence in Gujarat, Fernandes said such internal disturbances could have an adverse impact on the nation's security.
"The troops deployed in Gujarat should have been on the borders," he pointed out.
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