The Vishwa Hindu Parishad lives in a world of its own, speaks a language of its own, never constrained by the laws of the land, never bound by the rules of the government. Last week, this craziest member of the Sangh Parivar once again spoke its mind and put the Vajpayee Government in an embarrassing situation. Pravin Togadia, VHP's international general secretary, demanded the Government hand over the entire acquired land in Ayodhya, including the disputed area, to the VHP-controlled trust. That was the domestic demand. Being its international secretary, Togadia then made his foreign-policy speech: full support to an American war against Iraq. On both issues he was nonsensical and, as usual, irresponsible. Ayodhya is much more than a VHP agenda. When the Supreme Court and the Government are involved in finding a solution, who is this self-appointed arbiter? What the VHP needs is not a resolution but a slogan that can divide the nation and destabilise the Government. Togadia's position on Iraq, even if it sounds morally justifiable, is more a comic-strip view of the evil. Anyway, it is none of his business; the Government has already made its dovish position clear. The VHP may have withdrawn its rhetoric on Ayodhya and Iraq after the prime minister's I-won't-suffer-your-nonsense intervention, but it is unlikely to behave with a sense of responsibility.

That is bad, considering the mood of the times. The damage this kind of rhetorical extremism does is not only to the so-called Hindu cause but to the BJP Government as well. The BJP is currently going through its finest phase in power and popular support. The leadership, for a change, has shown an interest in maintaining the momentum. Then occurs something like the Togadia performance that evokes only new fears. Unlike the BJP, the VHP has nothing at stake except an imaginary Hindu kingdom. Togadia, the rhetorician, mistakes the Republic of India for that make-believe. He holds forth on Ayodhya or Iraq or whatever as if he is talking on behalf of the nation, as if he is the conscience-keeper of the BJP Government. It is not the VHP's job to set the agenda for the nation or the Government-or to sabotage the agenda. Today, if the BJP has any serious threat, it comes not from the political opposition but from within the family. It will be good for the health of the nation as well as the party if the Vajpayee Government can make the Vishwa Hindus behave.