Why did the BJP-led Government at the Centre organise the fortnight-long Bauddha Mahotsav, in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in such a big way ?...

Is it that the BJP- which had to compromise on its party agenda to take over the reins in New Delhi ... – is now trying to replace Ram with Buddha? Apparently, the answer ... too seems to be ... Yes.

The Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani's speech at Sarnath gave an opportunity for some to believe the allegations doing the rounds that the BJP was trying to 'saffronise' the Buddhists. It further made one believe that the BJP's think tank was behind the whole exercise – one attempt to achieve several goals. Even some monks from abroad could get wind of the party's intentions.

Advani said: "Buddha did not announce any new religion. He was only restating with a new emphasis the ideals of the Indo-Aryan civilisation ...

The Home Minister went a step further to say that "Buddha is an avatara for most Indians and is held in reverence by all sects and sub-sect of the Hindu society" ....

A ... politically aware delegate felt that the Mahotsav was another new instrument through which the BJP was seeking to remain in the minds of its supporters ... for the reason that after keeping the Mandir issue in cold storage the party had recently tried to continue its hold over its supporters by 'saffronising' the education system but with little results.

... It is said the party was trying to win the hearts of the Buddhists and neo-Buddhists in the Northern region ...

The fact that most of the major events of the Mahotsav were addressed by senior BJP leaders - Advani, Kurana, Vajpayee who addressed the concluding function of the Mahotsav at Bodhgaya (Bihar) on November 8 - also gave indications about party's mind ..

It appears that BJP could be aiming to use Buddha's name to gain some political mileage at all levels - regional, national, international and global. The Government's decision to make the Mahotsav an annual event and to develop 50 religious and historical places across the country very year also ... speaks a lot about its intentions.    (Source: The Hindu, 12 November, 1998)