Former PMs meet, give vent to anxieties

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

NEW DELHI, MARCH 28. Four former Prime Ministers got together in the capital to share their anxieties about various issues confronting the nation and said their next move would depend on the response to their concern from various sections of society.

The four former Prime Ministers - Mr. V.P. Singh, Mr. Chandra Shekhar, Mr. H.D. Deve Gowda and Mr. Inder Kumar Gujral - who met for the second time on Monday evening, chose to release a joint statement articulating their ``anxieties'' on various issues at a press conference at the residence of Mr. Gowda.

The joint statement expresses concern over the deteriorating economic situation thanks to the reckless policies of globalisation and privatisation, growing unemployment and underemployment with serious repercussions on the socio-economic situation and the deteriorating situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast. The joint statement makes a fervent appeal for an equitable share in nation's prosperity and participation in governance of the country to all sectors of population.

One former Prime Minister, Mr. P.V. Narasimha Rao, was conspicuous by his absence at both the meetings. The first meeting was held on March 3. In response to questions, Mr. Chandra Shekhar said they are in touch with Mr. Rao and who had welcomed the initiative of his colleagues.

As for the future, the former PMs said they would like to wait and watch for the ``response of the nation'' to their initiative. At the same time, they said they will continue to meet from time to time to air their views on issues as they arise and even plan to travel around the country.

Rao's problem

Mr. Rao may find it difficult to associate with these former PMs as they have sought to put both the ruling BJP and the Congress(I) in the same bracket and have accused the latter of failing to discharge its responsibilities as an Opposition party. Mr. Chandra Shekhar put it bluntly that there is little to choose between the Congress(I) and the BJP.

Though they have debunked both the BJP and the Congress(I) for the present state of affairs in the country, the former PMs were not willing to categorise their endeavour as an attempt to ``revive'' the third front or rally round forces opposed to both the parties. The joint statement patted the Opposition parties for forcing the Government to prevail upon the Gujarat Government to withdraw the controversial order on allowing its employees to participate in RSS activities, and said the Opposition was justified in stalling the proceedings of Parliament as it was not a trivial issue.

On the statement made by the BJP general secretary, Mr. M. Venkaiah Naidu, that his party is planning to bring out a `white paper' on amendments to the Constitution, the joint statement said: ``If true, it is regrettable that such steps are thought of outside the realms of Parliament''.

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