Sonia alerts party MPs
From K.V. Prasad
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 4 — The Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, today suggested that the BJP-led coalition government could come apart any time due to internal quarrels and asked the party MPs to "be on the alert for any development... At any time we might be called upon to assume responsibilities".

The politically significant statement came during her address at the customary end-of-the-session general body of the Congress Party in Parliament of which she is the Chairperson.

Describing the current Parliament session as the "most unproductive monsoon session" she said the government had revealed through this session, its inexperience, lack of direction, incoherence and internal distensions.

"There has been no governance, only a struggle for survival", she said.

The Congress President said the instability of the government had not arisen from anything her party was doing but the ruling coalition's "own internal quarrels".

She said it was clear that the so-called national agenda for governance had brought about serious differences between the coalition partners. She said there had been no reconciliation of the policy.

"In these circumstances, the Congress has to be on the alert for any development in the medium or even short term. At any moment we might be called upon to assume responsibilities", she said.

The Congress President asked the MPs to use the inter-session period to strengthen the party at the grassroots and advised them to interact with ordinary Congress workers.

On the Jain Commission reports, she said the truth about the assassinations must come out, what had been uncovered must be highlighted and what remained to be investigated should be probed.

Describing the issue as one which affected Congress workers deeply and emotionally, she said the MPs should educate the workers and people on what was contained in the Jain reports.

Referring to the recent Goa episode, she said, "not only have we faced betrayal by those elected on our ticket, the Governor appointed by the government has shown bias and favouritism".

She said politicisation of high constitutional office "bodes ill for the future’’ and directed the MPs to be vigilant to forestall and expose the twisting of constitution by the government to serve its narrow ends.

Turning to the Assembly elections due in Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Delhi and Rajasthan, she asked them to work to replace the existing non-Congress governments in Delhi and Rajasthan while ensuring return in other two states.

"I sense resurgence for the Congress in the air. But atmospherics alone will not do. Hard work is required. These state Assembly elections are going to be a major pre-occupation of ours during the inter-sessional period", she said.

She also touched upon the international issues and said between now and November, the country could witness disturbing developments on the international stage.

India, she said, could find itself in the dock at the UN General Assembly due to diplomatic errors of the government.

The Congress offered cooperation to the government in ensuring that "India’s name is not tarnished and national interests are protected", she said adding that regrettably, "there is little indication that the government is taking the initiative to re-establish national consensus on the foreign and defence policy".

She said national consensus would also be needed to face the UN General Assembly and the key questions would be Kashmir and nuclear weapons.

The Congress President also had a word of praise for the party MPs for maintaining decorum and reason even when the House was "plunged in chaos. It is such good behaviour that persuades the country that the Congress is the natural party of governance, the party with which democracy is safe".

Nuclear test ban talks on: PM
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 4 — India is seeking international recognition for its declared moratorium on nuclear tests, which is akin to adherence to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, told the Lok Sabha today.

Ways and means for achieving "de jure formalisation" of the country’s voluntary undertakings are being explored through bilateral discussions with key interlocutors, the Prime Minister said while replying to a short duration discussion on the country’s foreign policy initiated in the House yesterday.

"India remains committed to this dialogue with a view to arriving at a decision regarding adherence to the CTBT," Mr Vajpayee said. "These dialogues have been undertaken after satisfying ourselves that India no longer requires to undertake nuclear explosions. We can maintain the credibility of our nuclear deterrent in the future without testing," the Prime Minister said.

He said even while announcing a moratorium on further tests, India reserved the right to review this decision if in its judgement extraordinary events take place that jeopardise the country’s supreme national interests. The CTBT also gives the same right to every country.

Mr Vajpayee said in 1996, India stayed out of the CTBT because of national security interests and that remained unaltered.

The Prime Minister said it was not correct to say that India had got isolated in the international community after the Pokhran 11 tests. The importance India got at Manila, and SAARC meeting were a clear pointer to the fact that India had not been isolated.

He dismissed the insinuation that India had exploded nuclear devices to ensure a permanent seat in the U.N. Security Council saying it was India’s natural right.

In an apparent reference to the nuclear powers, the Prime Minister said those who preach should first look at themselves. A time-bound destruction of nuclear weapons was the only solution, he added.

He reiterated that India had not gone nuclear for the sake of aggression and it was done for the sake of the country’s safety and security. "Deterrent and that too a minimum deterrent is the basis of our policy," Mr Vajpayee said.

On the contention of some of the Opposition members that economic might and not military might was the necessity of the day, Mr Vajpayee said there was no conflict whatsoever between economic prosperity and national security. He said it was his government’s endeavour that both economic prosperity and national security should go hand in hand.

The Prime Minister said there was no connection between the nuclear tests and the rising prices of essential commodities. It is ridiculous to link tomato prices with the Pokhran nuclear explosions, he said.

Speaking at length on Indo-Pakistan relations, Mr Vajpayee said the two countries should put contentious issues on the backburner and focus on other areas like economic cooperation to normalise relations.

He said such an approach with China had worked and there was no reason why it should not succeed with Pakistan. Mr Vajpayee felt that once relations normalise it would be easy to tackle contentious issues.

The Prime Minister also charged Pakistan with showing no interest in continuing bilateral talks for resolving outstanding issues. He said the Pakistan side had distributed statements during his talks with Mr Nawaz Sharif in Colombo and this showed they were not interested in the success of the talks.

He said Pakistan’s efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue had failed as all the countries, including China, recognised India’s position that it was a bilateral matter. Its efforts to link Kashmir with nuclear weapons non-proliferation had also not cut ice as the two issues were poles apart. Mr Vajpayee rejected Islamabad’s suggestion that New Delhi should hold talks with the Hurriyat leaders.

He said Pakistan was not able to swallow the fact that a predominantly Muslim state was an integral part of India and all the efforts of its administrators were concentrated on internationalising the Kashmir issue.

He said in spite of Pakistan’s attitude, India would continue its efforts to improve relations with that country.

Mr Vajpayee said the talks with the Chinese representative at Manila some of the misunderstandings which had cropped up of late.

He said China had been told not to go merely by press reports. He denied that the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, had said that China was a "threat number one" to India.

While admitting that there were some issues between the two countries which had to be resolved, Mr Vajpayee said India was committed to having friendly ties with Beijing.

SAD memo to President on
Udham Singh Nagar district

Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 4 — The controversy over exculsion of Udham Singh Nagar district from the proposed Uttaranchal state in Uttar Pradesh got a fresh lease of life today.

The Shiromani Akali Dal Parliamentary party submitted a memorandum to the President urging him to reconsider the issue as the Congress pressed the SAD to clarify its stand in the wake of Union Cabinet decision.

The SAD Parliamentary Party which met today, passed a resolution in which it urged the President to return the proposed Bill sent for his comments by the Union Cabinet back to it for reconsideration.

Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, MP, said today the meeting was attended by all SAD MPs barring the two SAD union ministers, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala and Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal and Mr Amrik Singh Aliwal.

However, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), President, Mr Amarinder Singh, ridiculed the idea of submitting a memorandum stating that a SAD representative is party to the Union Cabinet decision and was also a member of the Cabinet sub-Committee set up to study the problems relating to carving out of new states.

"Mr Surjit Singh Barnala was a member of the Cabinet sub-Committee which decided to include Udham Singh Nagar district in the proposed Uttaranchal state. Now what stand will the Akalis take on it," he said addressing a Press conference.

Mr Amarinder Singh wondered whether the SAD has now changed its stand and given up support to the Udham Singh Nagar district demand.

The Punjab Congress, he said, wants to know whether the SAD will withdraw its ministers from the Union Cabinet in the wake of this decision.

Among those present at the press conference was former Punjab PCC Chief, Mr S.S. Randhawa and former MP, Mr Surinder Singla.

Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, on the other hand, told The Tribune, that the SAD political affairs committee will hold a meeting on August 6 to decide on its future course of action. He said he spoke to the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, on the issue and if necessary the SAD will once again get in touch with BJP allies like the Trinamool Congress, Samata, AIADMK and the Haryana Lok Dal, which had assured to support the SAD demand.

Asked if his earlier suggestion that the SAD should withdraw its representatives from Union Council of Ministers if the government did accept the party demand, he said though the stage has not arrived, the PAC would consider all aspects before giving any direction.

Mr Gurcharan Singh also said he had asked the Chief Minister to send a memorandum to the President on the lines of the SAD parliamentary party memorandum.

He said the resolution, a copy of which was sent to the President, outlined the need for excluding Udham Singh Nagar district from the proposed state because of its distinct culture and language and also that normally only areas at 2000 feet and above are included in hilly areas.

He said it was wrong to state that the SAD was fighting for the rights because of interests of Punjabis. He said of the 273 panchayats, 233 had unanimously resolved to be part of Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier, expressing support to the people of the district, the PPCC president said the state unit has also secured support from the UPCC and the Haryana PCC on the issue.

He said by merging the district in the new state, the existing business houses would be affected since inter-state movement would attract fresh taxes.

TNS adds from Chandigarh: Mr Parkash Singh Badal told his confidants here that the Akali Dal could not take things lying down. "We had not asked for much. It was the most reasonable demand and the people of the district were up in arms and the majority of them are of Punjabi origin we had some moral and political commitment", he said.

Asked to comment on the latest development, Mr Badal said "We have said so much already. There is no need to repeat all that. Our position is so well known". Asked whether he would be again speaking to Mr Vajpayee or Mr Advani, he quipped, "We have met several times and explained our position. We answered each question that was raised. What is the point in meeting again and calling from here?"