archive: 'OFBJP helped Govt in countering Pak propaganda' (Question and
'OFBJP helped Govt in countering Pak propaganda' (Question and
E Jayakrishnan
The Economic Times
July 19, 1999
Title: 'OFBJP helped Govt in countering Pak propaganda' (Question and
Answer with Ved Prakash Goyal)
Author: E Jayakrishnan
Publication: The Economic Times
Date: July 19, 1999
Ved Prakash Goyal, senior Vice-president of the ELJP and Its
treasurer, Is also in-charge of the Overseas Friends of the BJP
(OFELJP), a "fan-club" of the BJP in the US, UK and Canada. The
organisation is also fast-expanding its tentacles to other countries
and continents. In an Interview to E Jayakrishnan, M r Goyal said
that organisations like the OFBJP have helped in countering Pakistan's
anti-India propaganda, especially In the United States.
Excerpts follow:
Q: Very little is known about the Overseas Friends of the BJP. How
did it come about? What role does this organisation play?
A: In 1991, L K Advaniji and I had gone to the US. At that time there
were many organisations working for the Hindu school of thought. Some
were working directly under the RSS, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the
Hindu Council of Students etc.
There were many well-settled Indians, professionals, and students who
were keen to keep in touch with what was happening back and were
emotionally attached to the country.
They wanted some organisation through which they could remain directly
in touch with the political events taking place in the country, that
were favourable to what may be broadly termed the Hindu school of
thought, which obviously was the BJP.
Therefore, some of them requested Advaniji to visit the US and meet
some of the important members of the Indian community there. Out of
these deliberations, they established, what is called the Overseas
Friends of the BJP, with the first chapter in New York. Then the
chapters were opened in Boston, Houston, Chicago etc.
The idea was that as they were abroad and had their own problems,
they could be a wing of the BJP, because the BJP was limited to this
country only. Therefore, almost like a fan club, the Overseas Friends
of the BJP came into being. In course of time, this was extended to
Canada and the United Kingdom. We hope to extend this organisation to
all other places where there are Indians - in South-East Asia, Europe
etc.
Q: And its role .. ?
A: The role of the OFBJP is to meet the important leaders in various
countries and do the unofficial lobbying for India by putting forward
India's views. It by and large supplements the Indian Government's
efforts.
We have close interaction with these organisations and at times of
festivals or important events, BJP leaders visit these places and
interact with the Indian community so that not only we apprise them of
the events back home, but also get a perspective on the problems that
they face, so that we can lend them whatever support we can.
When an issue, like Kargil intrusions, comes up, in their own way,
they contribute to the country's cause by explaining India's stand to
whoever is accessible to them. Some of the Indians are in high
positions and as they have access, on a personal basis, to the high
officials of the respective Governments where they are situated, they
put across India's point of view.
Q: What happens when the BJP is not in power and there are
contradictions between the ideology of the Friends of BJP Overseas and
those of the Indian Government?
Yes, then the organisation puts forward the Hindu school of thought
without, in any way, going against the Government of India policy.
Because, the Government represents the nation and, therefore, the
national policy has to be highlighted.
The point is that any of us, to whichever political party we may
belong, when abroad we are not expected to contradict or ridicule our
own Government's policy.
Q: In the past, especially in the US, Pakistan was supposed to have
had a strong lobby to influence people at the policy-making level in
the US? Has that changed?
A: Till now Pakistan believed that they had the upper hand, when it
came to the question of influence in the political circles in the US.
Other than the efforts of the Indian Government, organisations like
the Overseas Friends of the US, have helped in countering the
propaganda of Pakistan.
For instance, when. Atalji (Vajpayee) went to the US, no other
national leader got such a rousing reception, as he received, from the
Indian community in the US. The entire Indian community came together
to welcome and hear the Indian Prime Minister.
Q: The Indian community in the US is generally well to do. Do they
contribute funds to the BJP in India ?
A: No, not at all. They are prohibited by law to fund us. They keep
on asking and offering. We have allowed Indian citizens to pay in
India provided they have to fulfill two conditions. One, it should be
from their own personal funds, not from a corporate body. Two, they
have to produce a copy of their passport to prove that they still hold
Indian citizenship. Then we are sure that it is Indian money.
But we have largely discouraged people from sending contributions to
us, but have encouraged them to send their funds to the social
organisations and NGOs working in the backward areas of the country.
These organisations are in dire need of contributions and it will be a
greater help if these needy organisations get the funds.
Q: Coming to the present political scenario, some have suggested that
unless Pakistan ends the proxy-war, it waged against India, in terms
of aiding and abetting militants, India should not have a dialogue
with that country?
A: Dialogue may be necessary. But the point is that whenever we
discuss Kashmir with them we have to discuss the whole of Kashmir -
Pakistan Occupied Kashmir included.
The Indian Parliament has passed a resolution that the whole of
Kashmir belongs to us. So whenever the dialogue begins, Pakistan will
also have to discuss the PoK, issue, which is ours and now under their
control. This cannot be delinked from any dialogue on Kashmir.
Q: Pakistan continues to indulge in a proxy-war. How should we react
to that?
A: The answer to the ISI's subversive activities is not to retaliate
with our own counter-measures in their soil. The real answer is to
make our security and intelligence community so effective that the
ISI's evil designs do not succeed in India.
What I have noticed in the recent past is that the attitude of the
Indian Muslims have also changed. They have also realised that they
are 12 crore members in India. They have to live and die here.
Therefore, they should integrate themselves with Indian mainstream
here.
Q: Are you saying that it has anything to do with the coming to power
of the BJP?
A: Certainly. They appreciated the Prime Minister's bus ride to
Lahore. They have seen that in the more than one year of the
Vajpayee-Government, the Muslims, contrary to the propaganda against
the BJP, have not been discriminated against anywhere. There has been
not one instance of a major riot in the country against the Muslim
community. They have realised, that unlike the history of the last 45
years with other political parties, the BJP does not treat the Muslim
community just as a votebank. They have begun to appreciate that. In
my view the whole psyche has changed.
Back
Top
|
