N-tech for peace, not war: PM
Refuses to compromise to stay in power
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 15 — Reiterating India’s readiness to talk to Pakistan on all aspects of bilateral relations anywhere and anytime, the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, today assured that the country will never use nuclear weapons for aggression and stressed that no power on earth can force New Delhi to deviate from its chosen path of global disarmament.

In his first address to the nation from the historic ramparts of the Red Fort on the country’s 52nd Independence Day, Mr Vajpayee said India was all for a nuclear-weapon free world and, therefore, had immediately after the Pokhran tests announced a unilateral moratorium on further nuclear tests.

"We are not doing all this under someone’s pressure or any fear. We are doing it on our own to live up to our goals of world peace and global disarmament.We want to fulfil our dream of a nuclear-weapon free world", the Prime Minister said, signalling to the western world that New Delhi would not sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in its present form. "Our tests of May 11 and 13 were not meant for any war", he pointed out.

Mr Vajpayee,who stressed on the country’s policy to have good relations with all its neighbours, including Pakistan, regretted not getting a positive response from the Pakistani Prime Minister, Mr Nawaz Sharif, during their meeting in Colombo on the sidelines of the SAARC summit. "But I have not given up hope and will go to Durban, South Africa, to attend the Non-Aligned Movement summit with a fervent hope that Mr Sharif will give a response", he said.

"I do believe that there is no problem which cannot be resolved through dialogue. Therefore, whether it is Pakistan or China, we will carry out friendly talks to find a way out for all bilateral problems", the Prime Minister said.

Referring to the proxy war which was being aided and abetted from across the border, the Prime Minister said his government was firm on rooting out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir. In the recent past, there has been a rise in terrorism, he said, and added that the massacre in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh was "part of a big conspiracy. We will fight terrorism with all our might", and added that this would be crushed with a heavy hand.

Stating that India believed in "peaceful co-existence", the Prime Minister said it did not mean that "we are not bothered about our frontiers". Modernisation of the forces with the induction of state of the art technologies and weapons system would continue, he said. The unity and integrity of the country was on top of his government’s agenda, he said.

Exhorting the youth to dedicate at least one year of their precious life for the nation to make it an economic power in the world, Mr Vajpayee announced the launch of a communication satellite 3B within a year with totally indigenous efforts for spreading computer and Internet education. The proposed satellite would have six transponders, he said, adding that it was an era of space development and "we will not lag behind".

Congratulating scientists, technologists and armed forces for the recent nuclear tests, the Prime Minister said that it had made every Indian proud. But for few, all have appreciated the effort. The nuclear tests could not have been done overnight, he said, saying that it was the result of long years of efforts. "Indira Gandhi had laid the foundations 25 years ago and I have tried to erect an edifice on it", he said.

The Prime Minister said that though some countries had imposed sanctions after the tests, now they had started easing them. There was a better appreciation of India’s security concerns, he said.

Recounting the achievements of 50 years, the Prime Minister said India was proud of being the biggest and functioning democracy of the world. The country remained committed to freedom, national integration, democracy and secularism, he said adding that the participation of minorities in all national endeavours would be ensured. He lamented the behaviour of legislators and parliamentarians in state assemblies and Parliament.

Expressing concern over the prevailing inflation rate and price rise, Mr Vajpayee said the government would initiate steps, including stern action against blackmarketeers and hoarders, to bring down prices.

Announcing a Rs 550-crore scheme for providing free textbooks to girls up to the primary level, the Prime Minister said that two low premium insurance schemes to benefit women would be launched from Divali this year. The schemes — Rajrajeshwari for women and Bhagyashree for girls — could give up to Rs 25,000 on a monthly contribution of Re 1 only, he said.

Mr Vajpayee said that the government was committed to the empowerment of women and hence wanted to bring a legislation providing 33 per cent reservation for them in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies but could not do because of lack of support from the opposition parties.

The Prime Minister said a high-level task force would be constituted soon for suggesting ways to provide one crore jobs annually.

Underlining the importance of population control and literacy for the progress of the country, Mr Vajpayee said that the government would take appropriate steps.

Referring to suicides by farmers in some states, the Prime Minister said insurance schemes would be extended to cover more crops and more areas and announced that a high-level commission would look into various problems of the farming community.

Announcing the doubling of the provision of employment assurance schemes for the areas of Kalahandi, Koraput and Bolangir, Mr Vajpayee expressed grief over the continuing starvation deaths in these areas.

The government was committed to providing equal status to those belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other backward classes and a body would be set up to ensure that all reserved vacancies were properly filled.

Defending the economic liberalisation policy, the Prime Minister said that it was necessary for India to compete in the world. He said that swadeshi did not mean being a "frog in the well". "We should compete with the world in the economic field. The world is like a small village now and we should compete", he said.

Stating his government’s resolve to fight corruption, Mr Vajpayee said that he had introduced the Lok Pal Bill with the Prime Minister in its ambit. He said that the special cell to fight corruption in the PMO would be activated.

The Prime Minister made it very clear that his government would not compromise to remain in power. "I will accept whatever comes to me while doing my duty but I will not beg before anyone", he said.

Mr Vajpayee said the country was passing through a sensitive phase and it was the duty of all political parties to cooperate.

Highlights of PM's address

NEW DELHI, Aug 15 (PTI) — Following are the highlights of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s Independence Day address to the nation from the Red Fort.

• Tribute to democracy — a commoner can rise to the highest office in the land.
• We rededicate ourselves to defend hard-won freedom.
• Salute to brave defence forces. Defence forces to be modernised.
• Slogan of Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan — goal of all round progress.
• Pokhran test symbol of national resurgence and resilience.
• Culmination of effort of long years — fruit of hard work of scientists and defence forces.
• Acclaimed by Indians all over the globe.
• Nation grateful to its scientists and others.
• India committed to world peace, disarmament and a nuclear-free world.
• India for better relations with all neighbours and for peaceful resolution of problems through dialogue.
• Ready for talks with Pakistan, covering all aspects of Indo-Pak relations.
• Better appreciation for India’s stand on nuclear-free world, sanctions gradually being relaxed.
• Country remains committed to freedom, democracy, secularism.
• Electoral reforms to be brought about.
• Participation of minorities in all national endeavours to be ensured.

Agriculture

• Crop insurance yojana to be made more broad-based. New crops to be included and more area to be covered.
• A high-powered commission on farmers’ problems to study their economic conditions and to suggest reforms.
• Planning Commission to double employment guarantee amount for Bolangir-Kalahandi-Koraput area.

Economy

• India to continue on the path of economic reforms with the aim of becoming an economic super power.
• Swadeshi does not mean economic isolation.
• Speedy implementation of projects in infrastructure sector.
• NRIs exhorted to avail of resurgent India bonds.
• Centre and states jointly to fight price rise. Appeal to business and industry to cooperate. Strong measures against hoarders and black marketeers.
• Government committed to fight the menace of corruption.
• Lok Pal Bill introduced. The Bill includes the office of the Prime Minister.
• Efforts of corruption cell in PMO to be intensified.
• One crore new jobs every year to fight unemployment. Task force to study the problem.

Social infrastructure

• Promise of 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and state legislatures reiterated.
• Free books to girls up to primary school-level. Rs 550 crore to be set apart for this.
• Two insurance schemes — Raj Rajeshwari and Bhagyashree for women and for girls, respectively to be launched from Divali this year on a national scale.
• Implementation of reservation in jobs for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and other backward classes to be monitored and to be speeded up. Administration to be made responsive to this.
• ‘Rashtriya punarnirman vahini’ consisting of youth (18-35 years) to be launched on Swami Vivekanand’s birth anniversary — youth to be involved in social services in rural areas.
• India to be made super power in information technology.
• Swarn Jayanti Vidya Vikas Antariksh Upgrah Yojana for greater involvement of youth in information technology to be launched. Insat 3-B to be launched from ISRO before Aug 15, 1999 in a record time of 12 months.
• Six transponders on this satellite to be used for computer based education programme.

Consensus approach

• National water policy to be evolved taking everyone along.
• Consensus approach to solve national problems.