Songadh BJP president Kirit Mehta, who till yesterday would not settle for anything less than the DSP's suspension, said: ``The matter is over. After all, we have to respect the high command. Let the government do its work.'' In fact, the VHP and Bajrang Dal's agitation had received a massive boost in the resignation en masse of local BJP office-bearers from party membership in protest against the State government's handling of the issue.

``It (the resignation issue) is all pending. Nobody is talking about it anymore, '' Mehta said.

Senior BD leaders, however, sought to play down the volte-face. ``We have won. A DSP-level officer can't be suspended just like that. We have been promised strict action against him by those who matter,'' said one leader.

However, the cadres could not fathom why a State Government with Hindutva leanings, and who used them extensively during elections, could give a long rope to the DSP for his actions ``against'' the BD activists.

They had, in fact, even accused the DSP of acting at the instance of Congress MP Chhitubhai Gamit. Surat district Congress president Yusufbhai Sava says that, on the contrary, he and Gamit had forcefully represented against the DSP before the National Commission for Minorities. The Congress obviously has its tail up.