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PM asks opposition to reconsider stand on POTO
By Our Special Correspondent
HYDERABAD, DEC. 2. The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, has expressed confidence that the Opposition parties would see reason and cooperate with the Government in getting the Prevention of Terrorism Bill passed by Parliament.
Addressing a public meeting after launching a host of welfare schemes, including the Rs. 2,000-crore Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana, here today, he appealed to the Opposition parties to review their stand on the Prevention of Terrorist Ordinance (POTO) in the interests of national security. ``But the Government is determined to go ahead with the enactment to curb terrorist activities even if they (the Opposition) do not cooperate with us.''
In an oblique reference to the Congress president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi's opposition to POTO, Mr. Vajpayee said, ``Such statements will not help arrive at a consensus on the legislation to fight terrorists. Yet, I am confident they will keep national interests above party interests and support the Government.''
During its rule, the Congress had brought in more draconian laws to curb people's rights. ``It is ridiculous for such a party to oppose POTO, which was brought in mainly to combat terrorism, which has assumed alarming international proportions.''
The Prime Minister assured that POTO was not directed against the minorities. The Government was prepared to consider changes suggested by other parties. In fact, some suggestions from the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, had been incorporated.
Mr. Vajpayee said that the Chief Ministers of some Congress-ruled States were also appreciative of the need for rigorous laws to put down extremism and terrorism.
Deplores PWG violence
He denounced the ``mindless'' violence being perpetrated by the People's War Group in Andhra Pradesh, ``which has spread its tentacles to other States'' and patted the State Government for the firm manner in which the menace was being tackled.
Misguided youth were being drawn into the fold of extremism. The PWG was living in an illusory world of bringing in change through the gun. Countries in which Governments had been toppled through violent means were reverting to democracy, Mr. Vajpayee added.
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