Mr. L. K. Advani in his recent interview to the BBC and others has given his own interpretation of English words "ideology" and "idealism" which may sound queer to many but not to those, who know Advani and his Sangh Parivar. Asked to explain as to why BJP’s commitments in its ’98 manifesto to build Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, to scrap Article 370 of Indian Constitution and to enforce uniform Civil Code have been shelved for the next 5 years, Shri Advani explained that these commitments are part of their ideology but governance is based on idealism. Agenda of National Democratic Alliance for governance would, therefore, be a part of idealism but not of ideology.

13th September, 1999.