Naidu denies he issued withdrawal threat

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, JUNE 13. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam president, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, has emphatically denied that he issued any threat to withdraw support to the NDA Government at the Centre.

Mr. Naidu denied reports published in these columns and, in a statement here today, said he never discussed the issue of his party dissociating from any organisation or political party at his meeeting yesterday with pastors, bishops and clergy. The topic of dissociation from any organisation or political party did not at all come up during the meeting as reported.

During the discussion with the delegation in his chambers here, the Chief Minister only explained the welfare measures initiated for minorities in the State. He said India was a secular nation and there was freedom for every religion to practise its faith.

Mr Naidu reiterated that divisive and disruptive forces would be mercilessly crushed in the State and necessary and adequate protection given to the churches in view of the recent attacks.

Mr. Naidu only sought cooperation and suggestions from the clergy and church-goers and asked them to be vigilant and scrutinise every stranger and unitedly fight the evil and nefarious designs of the miscreants, the statement added.

Naidu going to Hyderabad

Our New Delhi Special Correspondent reports:

Earlier, in New Delhi the BJP took serious note of the ``threat'' by Mr Chandrababu Naidu to withdraw support to the NDA Government if the charge of the involvement of the RSS and its militant wings in the attacks on Christians was proved.

The BJP general secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Mr. M. Venkaiah Naidu, is going to Hyderabad to take stock of the situation.

Party leaders, however, tended to dismiss as ``domestic political compulsion'' Mr. Chandrababu Naidu's remarks, reportedly made to a Christian delegation, that he would withdraw support to the NDA Government if the involvement of the RSS and its affiliates in the attacks was proved. At the same time, the party did admit that it was the first time that this major ``friend'' and champion of the Government had even talked about withdrawing support.

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