Date:09/01/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/01/09/stories/2003010903471100.htm

National

BJP discusses terrorism with diplomats

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JAN. 8. The Bharatiya Janata Party today launched its own major diplomatic initiative with the party president, Venkaiah Naidu, inviting ambassadors and mission heads to a get-together over lunch at the party headquarters here to talk about the menace of terrorism.

Mr. Naidu invited the diplomats to send their representatives to a two-day seminar on terrorism being organised by the Yuva Morcha, BJP youth wing, here from February 10. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, will inaugurate the seminar while the concluding address will be that of the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani.

Over several years, the BJP has been engaging the diplomatic community through one-to-one contacts and party-to-party visits. But this is the first time that so many diplomats have been invited to the party office. Over 60 heads of diplomatic missions attended the meeting.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Naidu said that the BJP would like to interact with the diplomatic community and would be glad to clarify any doubts that it might have about the party's policies. "You, no doubt, read and hear a lot about our party in the print and electronic media. But the views expressed are so diverse that it can sometimes be confusing and even misleading. We would like you to have a direct interaction with our party leaders so that you can clarify any doubts you may have...'' he said.

The ``event'' is being seen as a major exercise to "correct'' the BJP image internationally, which, no doubt, has suffered after the Gujarat riots.

Mr. Naidu focussed on the subject of terrorism. The world was not the same after September 11, 2001, he said. The youth — leaders of tomorrow — must take a hard look at the problem and unitedly resolve to fight and eliminate terrorism, he emphasised. Besides this, the BJP has called a meeting of its central election committee tomorrow to finalise the names of its candidates for the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections. There are 11 vacancies and the BJP hopes to win three seats. The meeting will also discuss the party's strategy for the coming Assembly elections.

The BJP has already signalled that in Nagaland it will try to get all the "non-Congress forces'' together on one election platform to oust the Jamir Government of the Congress.

Mr. Naidu and the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, met some politicians from Nagaland today in a bid to explore the proposal.

The BJP leaders are optimistic that the several years of ceasefire between the Naga rebels and the government have created a positive atmosphere and with help from the anti-incumbency factor, the party could swing the elections in a State where it is virtually absent.