Date:19/05/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/05/19/stories/2005051907341201.htm

National

"Probe into defence purchases motivated"

Special Correspondent

NEW DELLHI T: he CBI inquiry ordered into defence purchase deals concluded during the National Democratic Alliance regime is "politically motivated," Bharatiya Janata Party president L.K. Advani said on Wednesday.

The only motive behind the proposed probe into the disinvestment in Centaur hotels was to malign the former Minister, Arun Shourie, Mr. Advani told a national conference of the Confederation of Indian Industry here. He expressed confidence that Mr. Shourie would emerge clean from any probe.

But he had a word of caution for the Government. "Don't proceed on this path of vendetta. It will bite you."

"Strange coalition"

Mr. Advani said there was "something surreal about this Government" with the Communists announcing daily that they were dissatisfied with its performance.

"The only glue that holds this strange coalition together is anti-BJPism.," This was as wrong as the anti-Congressism of the past.

The BJP leader took umbrage at the use of the term "Hindu rate of growth", to describe the low growth rates in the years that followed Independence. Concerned that the word "Hindu" was sought to be associated with low achievement, he said, "I am proud to be a Hindu and I am proud to be an Indian."

He blamed "one party which dominated the scene for over four decades" for the country's dismal growth rate for nearly three decades after Independence.

Pat for Manmohan

Mr. Advani, however, praised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for starting economic reforms in the early 1990s. "As I have often said from several public platforms, the credit for initiating this transformation goes to the then Finance Minister and present Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh."