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Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi
The much-anticipated meeting between senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leaders and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee proved to be a damp squib with both skirting the issue of differences between the Sangh Parivar and the Bharatiya Janata Party, and instead discussing cross-border terrorism.
Briefing reporters on the 90-minute dinner meeting in Vajpayee's Race Course Road residence in Delhi, BJP president Venkaiah Naidu said, "It was an informal meeting. We discussed general matters of mutual and national interest. We will continue to meet and discuss issues. No specifics were discussed. Larger issues concerning the nation's interest have been discussed in an informal manner and we have decided to meet informally as and when necessary."
RSS chief K S Sudarshan, senior leaders H V Seshadari and Madan Das Devi attended the meeting. From the BJP's side, apart from Vajpayee and Naidu, Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishecnchand Advani also attended the meeting.
Prodded by reporters, who wanted to know about the recent attacks on Vajpayee by various Sangh Parivar outfits, Naidu shot back: "We have exchanged information and we have not discussed any particular [Sangh Parivar] organisation."
RSS spokesman Madan Das Devi said, "We met to discuss the nation's problems and the people's aspirations. After three years of the National Democratic Alliance government, we also discussed its future agenda. We will hold dialogue with the people regarding their problems and decide issues with their consent."
Both Naidu and Devi evaded queries on the RSS's differences with the BJP and walked away when the reporters became too persistent.
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