The Hindu : Gehlot demands PM's resignation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 28, 2002

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Gehlot demands PM's resignation

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR MAY 27. The Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, today demanded resignation of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, "in case he cannot live up to the aspirations of the people at this critical juncture for the country''.

``Mr.Vajpayee has failed the people of this country. The National Democratic Alliance Government is a big disappointment,'' Mr.Gehlot said continuing his criticism of the Prime Minister's handling of the present crisis with Pakistan and his holiday trip to Manali, for the second day.

``The Prime Minister's act of going to Manali and his often changing utterances have broken the morale of the people,'' Mr.Gehlot charged.

``No individual is above the nation. If Mr.Vajpayee cannot cope with the demands of his position, he should quit,'' Mr.Gehlot said talking to a group of newspersons here. Yesterday the Chief Minister had asked the Prime Minister to cut short his holiday in Manali and return to the national capital to take care of the situation on the border.

``The country never had such an incompetent government, and the people, including retired defence personnel, are talking about it,'' Mr.Gehlot said. He blamed Mr.Vajpayee, the Home Minister, L.K.Advani, and the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, for the poor crisis management back home.

In a scathing attack on the Prime Minister and his two senior colleagues, Mr.Gehlot charged that they were "out to ruin the nation''.

``We cannot leave the fate of the country with such persons,'' he said. Mr.Vajpayee had cut a sorry figure with his oft-changing responses to the terrorist attacks provoked by Pakistan. "Mr.Vajpayee makes different statements on the country's intentions at different places. He has lost his credibility.''

Mr.Gehlot said the Defence Minister was behaving more like a spokesman of the BJP than that of the NDA. Even his longstanding friends from the days of the Janata Party had started expressing resentment about his present style, he pointed out.

Similarly, Mr.Advani had proven himself as "an ineffective Home Minister'' with what all happened in his own Lok Sabha constituency, Ahmedabad, during the recent communal riots, Mr.Gehlot said. "He did not visit the place when he should have been the first to go there after the unfortunate developments between Hindus and Muslims,'' Mr.Gehlot said.

Mr.Gehlot said the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, on more than one occasion had extended unequivocal support of the party for any move against the militant attacks sponsored by forces from across the border but no action had been taken. "Mr.Vajpayee talked about the need for soldiers to get ready for the supreme sacrifice after the Kaluchak killings but then he went on what they call as `working holiday' to Manali!'' Mr.Gehlot observed.

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