Govt. is committed to federalism, says PM

By Our Special Correspondent

COIMBATORE, FEB. 16. The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today asserted that his Government truly believed in federalism and was totally committed to it.

Addressing a public meeting here, he said his Government believed that regional parties should have a say in the management of national affairs.

``Past experience'' had shown that Tamil Nadu did not benefit whenever there was a conflict between the Centre and the State. During the past three years, there had been no conflict between the Centre and any State and there had been a more ``harmonious relationship now than any other time in the past,'' he said.

Mr. Vajpayee said he had been faithful to his promise of providing a ``clean Government.'' Not even a single scandal had occurred in the past three years of his regime, he said and added that he would strive to root out corruption. Cautioning against corruption which had played havoc with the nation, he said, ``the people of Tamil Nadu know very well how corruption has disfigured politics and governance. The resources meant for development and welfare had been misused for personal enrichment and pomp.''

He pointed out that there was a time when the BJP did not have any allies. ``Now it has a number of allies in Tamil Nadu itself.'' His party had now been accepted as a principled one. It was trusted and it carried its alliance partners with it.

``You have also seen how our alliance (NDA) has worked for the benefit of Tamil Nadu,'' he said and sought a favourable mandate for the NDA in the coming elections to the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Referring to the welfare of minorities, the Prime Minister assured that there would be no discrimination. However, if some people were to assert their rights through ``gun and bomb'' it would be sternly put down. He was against ``all forms of communalism and terrorism.''

At the same time, he warned the ``terrorists and their sponsors'' who were indulging in cross-border terrorism in Kashmir that his Government would emerge victorious in quelling them too as it had done in Punjab. They would have to learn their lesson from Kargil, he added.

The Prime Minister also referred to the various measures initiated by his Government to establish the country's self- confidence and self-reliance. It refused to be `bullied' by any external power. It went ahead with Pokhran test knowing full well that it was not palatable to many countries. ``The same powers who were critical of that were now extending their hands of friendship.''

Expressing his profound regret to the victims of the serial bomb blasts in February 1998 in Coimbatore, he renewed his pledge made in 1974 that he would safeguard Tamil Nadu if there was any danger.

At the same time, he said ``no sacrifice is small in the defence of the country's unity, integrity and security.''

'Self-reliance still relevant'

Our Staff Reporter writes:

Speaking at the inauguration of the Swadeshi Industrial Fair here, the Prime Minister said only self-reliance can build a modern India and outside assistance should play only a supplementary role.

Mr. Vajpayee said `swadeshi', understood as swavalamban (self- reliance), was relevant in the present era of globalisation.

``India of our dreams cannot be built by following the path of paravalamban (dependence on others),'' he said, and noted that globalisation had created ``an inter- dependent world in which the opportunities for mutual cooperation have considerably increased.''

Lauding the entrepreneurs of Coimbatore, Mr. Vajpayee said the people had ``shown their genius in industry'' by pioneering in casting, engineering, textiles and manufacture of pumpsets.

``It appears that where Mother Nature denies her bounties, God compensates by making the people more courageous and enterprising,'' he remarked.

Referring to the desire expressed by the people of the city to have a modern software technology park, he said, ``My Government will look into this demand sympathetically.''

In addition, the Government would take further steps to revive the textile sector, so that India could have a major competitive advantage in the global market.

Mr. Venkiah Naidu, Union Minister for Rural Development, stressed the importance of a `Rural Artisan Work Centre' and `District Rural Produce Marketing Centre' at the village level, and thereby enable rural industrial products to find urban markets.

Mr. S. Gurumurthy, all-India convenor, Swadeshi Jagran Manch, said Coimbatore did not have a `State-dependent mindset,' and had expanded on its own strength.

Mr. T. R. Balu, Minister for Environment and Forestry, highlighted the need to overcome marketing challenges by producing quality goods.

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