Congress misled nation on n-briefing to Clinton: PM

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 16. The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today added a new dimension to the controversy within the Congress(I) on whether or not the party delegation, led by Ms. Sonia Gandhi, told the U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton, during his visit here in March that India needed a minimum nuclear deterrent. Mr. Vajpayee insisted that the Congress(I) was lying to the nation on the issue.

This unusual remark of the Prime Minister about the main Opposition party was made at the closing session of the two- day national executive of the BJP. He went on the offensive against the Congress(I) for what he described as growing ``frustrated reactions'' of the party leadership.

He told members of the BJP national executive that a directionless Congress(I) leadership was resorting to ``abuses and lies'' and asserted that the Congress(I) dream of returning to power would never be fulfilled. He was particularly angry with Ms. Sonia Gandhi for her allegations against the Government on the Constitution Review Commission and said the kind and quality of language used by some leaders has hit a new low.

``The Congress(I) has adopted political negativism from Pokhran to Kargil. The nation was misinformed about what the Congress party delegation told President Clinton. The Congress delegation told President Clinton that India needed a minimum nuclear deterrent. The media was informed of the position. Later, the party denied having ever made such a statement. Petty political considerations resulted in this political somersault,'' Mr. Vajpayee told his party colleagues.

The Prime Minister was referring to the statement made by senior Congress(I) leader, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, immediately after a Congress(I) delegation met Mr. Clinton, and the subsequent denial by the party spokesperson, Mr. Ajit Jogi, on the question of minimum nuclear deterrence.

`Don't be provoked'

Mr. Vajpayee maintained that the strident attacks of Congress(I) on his Government in recent weeks and months was a consequence of the success of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). He told the BJP members not to be provoked by the ``undignified'' attacks of the Congress(I) and endeavour to raise the level of debate.

The Prime Minister said the BJP has entered a crucial stage of its ``journey'' and its acceptability has improved. He attributed it to the distinctive character of the party and urged the party members to help in sustaining its distinctiveness as a party. ``Our political behaviour will determine this.'' Mr. Vajpayee's message to the national executive was to ensure that the programmes of the Government get the support of the party and that the party must endeavour to carry all sections of society with it.

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