JOIN USWikiLeaks was back to put the BJP in the dock again, this time attributing remarks to its senior leader Arun Jaitley that Hindu nationalism was an “opportunistic issue” for his party.
The Opposition Leader in the Rajya Sabha was, however, denied this remark but not those which saw him in good light. Quick to react, the Congress attacked him saying those living in glass houses should not throw stones at others.
“Pressed on the question of Hindutva, Jaitley argued that Hindu nationalism ‘will always be a talking point’ for the BJP. However, he characterised this as an opportunistic issue,” a cable by Robert Blake, Charge at the United States Embassy, to his government, had said after a meeting with Jaitley on May 6, 2005.
The cable by Blake said: “In India’s northeast, for instance, Hindutva plays well because of public anxiety about illegal migration of Muslims from Bangladesh.” With the recent improvement of Indo-Pak relations, he (Jaitley) added: “Hindu nationalism is now less resonant in New Delhi, but that could change with another cross-border terrorist attack, for instance on the Indian Parliament,” the cable, accessed by “The Hindu”, said.
Making his conclusions from the interaction, Blake reported that Arun Jaitely’s “credentials with the Sangh Parivar are weak, and he may not have what it takes to mobilise the BJP base.” During the talk, Jaitley said L K Advani would most likely lead the BJP two to three more years, after which one of five next generation leaders (him being one of them) would take the reins.