The Hindu : Pak. designs will be defeated, says PM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 08, 2002

Front Page

Front Page

Pak. designs will be defeated, says PM

By Manas Dasgupta

The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, at an election rally at the Polo ground in Vadodara on Saturday. — Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

VADODARA Dec. 7. "Unity, peace and religious harmony'' was the cornerstone of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee's first election address in the riot-torn Gujarat here this evening.

Regretting the recent communal disturbances in various parts of the State, Mr. Vajpayee said he was happy that the riots had become a thing of the past and said all the bitterness generated in the State should end with the elections to make a fresh beginning towards progress and development.

Except for this oblique reference to the communal riots, the Prime Minister's 30-minute speech was devoid of any reference to the Godhra train carnage or the post-Godhra riots in the State. He insisted that India was wedded to religious tolerance and equality to all which should not be put to test under any circumstances.

Mr. Vajpayee said religion and religious practices were two different things but while there could be "arguments'' on religious practices, it should not lead to bitterness that threatens the unity of the country which was the need of the hour to face threats from across the border.

Giving a stern warning to Pakistan that the Centre would not allow it to succeed in its designs to destabilise the country through the subversive elements supported by it, Mr. Vajpayee said those who were trying to endanger the country's freedom and unity would be dealt with severely.

He advised the people to remain "eternally vigilant'' against the threat of global terrorism which India could meet only through unity and solidarity among all the people.

Praising the services of the defence forces in guarding the country's borders like "Ram and Lakshman'' against the subversive elements from across the border, he asked the people to be aware of such elements and shun all disputes that threaten the unity and integrity of the country.

`We kept our promise'

Referring to the successful completion of the elections in Jammu and Kashmir, he praised the bravery of the people there in participating in the elections despite the threats of bullets from Pakistan.

Mr. Vajpayee said he was ridiculed when he had announced from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day the Centre's resolve to hold free and fair elections in Kashmir.

"But we have done what we had promised,'' he said and added that the election was the first step towards finding a solution to the Kashmir imbroglio.

The Prime Minister said his Government was committed to building a "modern India'' but based on the country's age-old traditions and culture.

In this respect, total cooperation between the Centre and the States would be of the utmost importance, he said, and advocated the same party government at both places.

Referring to the Congress, Mr. Vajpayee said it was "dreaming'' of return to power in the State. "You were in power but you did not do your duty towards the people and should not expect another turn,'' he said while claiming that the BJP Governments both in the State and at the Centre were executing more pro-people schemes in the last five years than what the Congress Governments had done in the last 50-odd years.

If the Congress Governments had taken up the "garland river'' schemes connecting all the major rivers, the problem of droughts and the frequent inter-State river disputes would had been solved long ago. The lack of proper roads was coming in the way of the country's fast development and his Government had taken up the work now.

In a passing reference to the leadership issue after the elections, the Prime Minister said the elected representatives would choose the new leader but quickly added that it would be a "mere formality'', apparently supporting the State party's stand that Narendra Modi would continue as the Chief Minister if the BJP retained power.

PTI reports from Jamnagar:

Addressing an election meeting here, Mr.Vajapayee charged the Congress with arriving at agreements with Pakistan after giving up claims over Indian territory when it was in power.

Virtually ruling out talks with Pakistan till it stops sponsoring cross-border terrorism, he said: "What can we talk. When we were talking in Lahore, they were hatching a conspiracy to attack India and stabbed us in the back". Advising the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, to acquaint herself with modern history, Mr.Vajpayee said he failed to understand anyone doing politics at home on the issue of terrorism.

He asked Ms. Gandhi to "stop worrying about his knees and instead concentrate on what is happening in the Congress-ruled States. She will know how strong are my knees when the Lok Sabha elections would come in 2004."

Mr. Modi, who also addressed the meeting, hit out at Ms. Gandhi for referring to the Prime Minister's knees and said she was not even born when Mr.Vajpayee dedicated his life to India.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

Pak. designs will be defeated, says PM

Iraq submits documents

Sorry, Saddam tells Kuwaitis

'I'm Modi's advocate'

No cricket with Pak.: India

15 killed in blasts in Bangladesh theatres

Child marriage: 20 arrested

Tension after desecration

Kashmir village gutted

Pak. UAV intrudes