The Hindu : I will quit the day I feel I'm under pressure: PM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 05, 2003

Front Page

Front Page

I will quit the day I feel I'm under pressure: PM

By Javed M. Ansari

The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, responds combatively in the Lok Sabha to allegations that he has constantly changed his stand on the Ayodhya issue. (A television image — PTI)

NEW DELHI AUG. 4. Clarifying his statement made in Ayodhya on construction of a Ram temple there, the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, today told the Lok Sabha that his Government believed that a solution to the Ayodhya dispute could come either through a court judgment or negotiations between the parties to the dispute.

The Prime Minister's clarification came in response to demands from the Opposition parties. Mr. Vajpayee was at pains to dispel doubts over his speech last Saturday at the funeral of Ramchandradas Paramhans. "I did say that the Ram mandir must be built, but I did not say how it will be built or that it will be built forcibly," he said.

Mr. Vajpayee was present in the Lok Sabha during question hour and used the occasion to rebut the Opposition charge that he had "deviated" from his position on the contentious issue.

Mr. Vajpayee said the Opposition had failed to read the full text of his speech. "I have never said how the temple will be built or who will build it," he said. There were different views on the construction of the temple, but the decision to construct the temple would be a collective one.

Alluding to the objections raised by the Opposition parties to his statement that the late sant's dream would be fulfilled, Mr. Vajpayee said there was nothing wrong in what he had said. "Did I say where it would be built? What's wrong in saying that Paramhansji's last wish will be fulfilled,'' he asked.

Defending his speech at the funeral, the Prime Minister said he was also entitled to his rights as an individual and as a citizen of the country. "Prime Ministers are also human, they are also citizens of this country, and are entitled to their sentiments, but I know how to keep my emotions in check," Mr. Vajpayee said. He gently chided the Opposition for not complimenting him for the restraint he had shown while speaking at the funeral in Ayodhya.

During the discussion, the Samajwadi Party leader, Mulayam Singh Yadav, alleged that Mr. Vajpayee was under "compulsion" which forced him to "change" his stand on the issue. "You are under compulsion. You are helpless but don't make the country helpless. This will ruin the country and divide society. You must express regret," he told the Prime Minister.

Stung to the quick, Mr. Vajpayee said: "There is no compulsion. The day I feel I am under compulsion, I will quit `rajpaat' (power) and go."

Mr. Vajpayee's attempt to set at rest the controversy appeared to have made little impact on the Opposition. In the Lok Sabha, the entire Opposition staged a walkout after the Prime Minister completed his statement, to register its protest. The Opposition had given a series of adjournment notices on the issue, which were disallowed by the Speaker after Mr. Vajpayee's statement. The issue was raised as soon as the House met. Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi (Congress) said the Prime Minister's statement had disrupted the negotiation process and could also impact the judicial process.

Somnath Chatterjee (CPI-M) described the speech as "dangerous and disturbing". The whole idea behind the speech of the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister was to "arouse passions on the eve of the elections," he said.

Mr. Mulayam Yadav demanded an explanation from the Prime Minister on who was forcing him to make such a statement. Ramvilas Paswan (Lok Janshakti Party) accused the BJP of keeping the Ayodhya issue alive.

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

Front Page

News Update

Stories in this Section

I will quit the day I feel I'm under pressure: PM

`No interference in CBI work'

`Permit me to stay, or hang me'

Parliament clears poll Bill

Hyundai chief kills himself

Bill banning cow slaughter soon

Govt. plans tribunal on Krishna waters

SC rejects author's plea against Sahara TV

'Dawood gang members' acquitted