The Hindu : NDA is united, says PM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 21, 2002

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NDA is united, says PM

By Our Special Correspondent

The Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, releasing the compendium of partnership between the Government and the voluntary sector in New Delhi on Saturday. The Minister of State for Human Resources, Sumitra Mahajan, the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, K.C. Pant, and representative of the voluntary sector, Rajesh Tandon are also seen. — Photo: V. Sudershan

NEW DELHI APRIL 20. Reverting to his pre-Panaji stance when he had taken a strong position against the Gujarat violence, the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, today sought to silence speculation over differences in the ruling National Democratic Alliance and, in turn, asked the Opposition to join the Government in fighting the scourge of communalism.

Delivering the inaugural address at an all-India conference on the `Role of the Voluntary Sector in National Development' here, Mr. Vajpayee blamed the Opposition for the current impasse in Parliament and said its insistence on discussing Gujarat under a particular rule had reached a "ridiculous level''.

Explaining the Government's position, he said: "We have nothing against a discussion, but differ with the Opposition on the rule under which it should be taken up.''

Of the view that the Opposition was pressing for the discussion under a particular rule only to show the NDA to be weak, he asserted: "NDA is one and there is no difference of opinion within the ruling alliance.''

Though his written text made no mention of Gujarat, the issue was forced upon the Prime Minister by the preceding speaker, Nafisa Barot from Uthan in Gujarat, who made an impassioned plea for a direction from the powers that be at a time when her "beloved Gujarat and civic society in the State is at a crossroads''.

Stating that the Gujarat violence had been criticised with "kathor shabd'' (harsh words), Mr. Vajpayee — in an oblique reference to the CPI(M) leader, Somnath Chatterjee's observation that "if the incidents in Gujarat could make the Prime Minister feel ashamed, it obviously is not a simple matter that can be discussed in a cursory manner'' — said the Opposition was trying to nail him with his own "harsh words''.

He also mulled over India's choice of secularism instead of opting for a theocratic state despite the environment in the neighbourhood.

"There is unanimity that there should be no discrimination on the basis of caste or creed. Any aberration ought to be condemned and fought,'' he said adding that the Gujarat violence had put a question mark on all the efforts of the country since Independence.

Addressing Ms. Barot in person, the Prime Minister said the country had seen and survived worse situations in the past. "We have to fight this evil and cannot lose courage.''

Then, the poet in him surfaced: "The night may be dark, but the small lamps of hope — epitomised by those who braved the odds to help people in need, irrespective of which community they belonged to — will show us the way.''

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