The Hindu : All-out efforts should be made to avert war: PM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 09, 2003

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All-out efforts should be made to avert war: PM

By Gargi Parsai

The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, with women members of the press corps at a get-together on the occasion of International Women's Day, at his residence in New Delhi on Saturday. — Photo: V. Sudershan

New Delhi March 8. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, talked of making all-out efforts "till the last'' to maintain peace in the Middle East and said efforts were on to bring about "unanimity'' on the Women's Reservation Bill.

The occasion was ``high tea'' hosted by him at his residence for women journalists from the print and electronic media on the International Women's Day.

Although the Prime Minister advised the scribes to put away their notepads and pens and enjoy the party, he began with his opening remarks on the Iraq situation.

Addressing the gathering of nearly 700 journalists, he said war clouds were hovering over Iraq and efforts should be made to avert a conflagration. "War clouds are hovering... You never know when the war might break out but more effort should be made till the last moment to avert war,'' he said from a makeshift rostrum.

Later, mingling with the gathering and taking a few questions, he referred to his telephonic talk with the United States President, George W. Bush, on Tuesday and said that he had conveyed to him that India did not want war. To a specific query, he said India had enough oil reserves to tide over the situation in case of an eventuality.

Asked about the Women's Reservation Bill, Mr. Vajpayee asserted that a "consensus will emerge on the Bill.'' He had spoken today to the Congress leader, Manmohan Singh, and the Samajwadi Party president, Mulayam Singh Yadav, and urged them to bring about "unanimity'' on the Bill. There was consensus on giving reservation to women and efforts were now on for "unanimity'' on the quota.He said he told Mr. Yadav that he should rethink his stand on supporting the Bill and try to bring about "unanimity.''

It was only for brief moments that the Prime Minister mixed with the women journalists on the lawns of 7, Race Course road. When the polite questions threatened to turn into a tirade, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Sushma Swaraj, escorted him back to the rostrum behind a cordon. This was in stark contrast with the previous two years, when the Prime Minister freely interacted with the participants.

This time round, the security was tight — all handbags were held back and objections raised to carrying even pens — but it was polite and not intrusive.

For the best part of the evening, Mr. Vajpayee posed for photographs with enthusiastic new-comers to the profession. He even answered specific questions and did not seem to mind when asked time and again about the Women's Reservation Bill.

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