Support will be conditional: TDP

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, APRIL 16. The TDP president, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, has promised his party's support to the NDA Government's efforts for a thorough review of the Constitution, but said it would not tolerate any bid to alter the basic structure or dilute safeguards in the Constitution for weaker sections.

Mr. Naidu's offer of support was conditioned by the statement that the TDP might back the proposed amendments only if they were in consonance with the party's basic philosophy.

Briefing TDP MPs on the stand they should take on crucial issues when Parliament resumes the budget session on Monday, he said they must fight for inclusion in the 2000-01 budget, the devolution of 29 per cent of total Central receipts to the States, oppose the tendency to hike administered prices instead of taxes in the divisible pool and protest against the Satyam Committee's report on revamping the textile industry as it was detrimental to the interests of the handloom sector.

The TDP president said the Congress (I) was opposing the Constitution Review as it was bereft of issues to attack the NDA Government.

He accused both the Congress (I) and the Left parties of living in the past with the latter still swearing by the policies of Lenin and Mao. Calling for a debate on the issue in every village, he said the statute must remain in tune with the fast- paced changes that had occurred since Independence.

Mr. Naidu made it clear that the TDP would protect the rights of Dalits enshrined in the Constitution. He said he did not think that the SCs were entertaining such fears though some leaders might try to make political capital out of the issue.

Mr. Naidu was responding to a reference by Dr. M. Jagannadham, MP, about apprehensions among the SCs that the Centre might alter the basic structure.

He was ambiguous on the stand TDP MPs should take in Parliament on the Centre's decision to hike prices of subsidised rice and kerosene. Reiterating his known stand that the NDA Government's decision to hike the issue price of rice was ``incorrect'', he indicated that the party might not press for a rollback of the hike in the interests of the Government's stability.

He dwelt at length on the burden that the Centre had placed on the State Government by raising the prices of diesel, kerosene, fertilizers and rice. The hike in the issue price of rice from Rs. 9.05 to Rs. 11.80 a kg had alone caused an extra burden of Rs. 395 crores forcing his Government to proportionately revise the price for white cardholders from Rs. 3.50 to Rs. 5.50 a kg.

The TDP supremo resented the NDA Government's attempts to implement the Lakdawala Committee's recommendation on the definition of `below poverty line' which he had stalled during the United Front Regime. Andhra Pradesh stood to lose Rs. 800 crores of Central assistance on this score for helping the poor by providing them food and houses on subsidy.

Mr. Naidu asked his party MPs to support the Women's Reservation Bill and fight for passage of the Bill for reverting to the three-tier system for panchayat raj institutions (PRIs). Flaying the Congress (I) for its reported volte face on the earlier stand to support the Bill on PRIs, he said his Government would go ahead with the panchayat elections later this year even if the legislation was not passed.

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Section  : Regional
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