No promises to U.S.: PM

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 27. The Government's bid to evolve a national consensus on the looming Afghan crisis received a shot in the arm with all the major Opposition parties extending support to it at a meeting here today.

The Government used the occasion to set at rest speculation on the nature of India's involvement in the proposed U.S. action in Afghanistan. Addressing the meeting, the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, made it clear that India had not given any assurance either ``directly or indirectly'' on the use of its airbases. India's role was limited to intelligence-sharing with the U.S. ``We have given no direct or indirect assurance on making available airbases,'' Mr. Vajpayee told the meeting.

Mr. Vajpayee also sought the Opposition help to defeat efforts being made by vested interests to equate terrorism with Islam. The Opposition should campaign vigorously to disabuse people of the impressions that the campaign against terrorism was a civilisational war against Islam. ``We must tell the people that Islam and terrorism have nothing in common,'' he said responding to Mr. Natwar Singh (Cong.), who drew his attention to the attempts being made to portray it as a civilisational war.

While pledging support to the Government, the Opposition sounded a note of caution against deviating from the long-standing policy of non-alignment.

The Government should take the lead in activating the non-aligned countries and ensure that the United Nations and its Secretary- General were totally involved in the global action against terrorism.

Briefing newspersons after the two-and-a-half-hour- long meeting, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr. Pramod Mahajan, said the Government had made it clear that it was not under any illusion and was not depending on anyone in its fight against terrorism.

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