No compromise on security: PM

BODHGAYA (Bihar), Nov 8 (PTI) — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, today said that India was prepared for the peaceful settlement of all outstanding contentious issues with its neighbours, but would never compromise on its security.

"India will not submit to pressure from nuclear superpowers and make no compromise on its security matters", he said addressing a function to mark the closing of the fortnight-long ‘Buddha Mahotsava’ at Kalchakra Maidan here.

Mr Vajpayee said India had always been a votary of nuclear-free world and driven by its commitment to peaceful co-existence. "We announced unilateral moratorium on nuclear tests after successfully conducting explosions at Pokhran this year and also declared that we will not be the first to use it".

"Our nuclear weapons are for defence and not for offence", the prime minister said.

Mr Vajpayee said India had to go nuclear due to growing threat to its security and hoped that the world community would share its security concerns.

"Our commitment to nuclear disarmament is undiluted. Even after conducting the first nuclear test at Pokhran in 1974, India advocated the elimination of weapons of mass destruction, but its views were not heard. Perhaps the voice of the weak is never heard", he said.

"Once again India has strongly taken up the issue of nuclear disarmament and this time it is from a position of strength" the Prime Minister said.

He criticised the five nuclear powers for sermonising others on nuclear disarmament and said: "Those sitting on huge arsenals should stop preaching others".

The innate strength of the Indian economy enabled it to withstand crippling economic sanctions imposed by some developed countries.

"There were concerted attempts to isolate India.... They (developed countries) sought to make us global untouchables and our scientists were barred entry into those countries and our parliamentarians were unwelcome. But now the international community has understood our viewpoint and things are changing", he said.

The Prime Minister flayed the "discrimination" shown by the USA in easing sanctions against India vis-a-vis Pakistan saying it was not good for the region.

A day after Washington announced "selective" approach of its intention to permit lending by multilateral financial institutions of Pakistan while denying the same to India, Mr Vajpayee said "discrimination is not good for the region.

Mr Vajpayee attributed the rise in prices of essential commodities to poor harvest caused by indifferent weather condition, but asserted that no effort would be spared to control the price rise.

He reaffirmed his government’s total commitment to improving the lot of the exploited and depressed sections of society.

Mr Vajpayee called for concerted efforts by all sections of society to purify the Indian polity and expressed concern over politicians extending patronage to criminals.

He said the teachings of Lord Buddha, who extolled the values of friendship and pathos, were even more relevant in a world riven by strife and conflict.

Earlier talking to reporters at Patna airport Mr Vajpayee said he still maintained the view that complete "mafia raj prevails in Bihar".

"Main apne pahle ke is vaktavya ki Bihar mein mafia raj hai par kayam hoon (I still adhere to my earlier view that complete mafia raj prevails in Bihar)", Mr Vajpayee said .

Asked if the centre was going to send back the proposal to the President Mr K.R. Narayanan for invoking Article 356 in the state, he said the centre had already taken the initiative for imposing President’s rule but the latter had returned the recommendation to the Union Cabinet for reconsideration.

On the Bihar situation the Prime Minister said, "Bihar ki sthiti par karibi nigrani rakhi ja rahi hai (we are keeping a close watch on Bihar situation)".

He was received at the airport by Bihar Governor Sunder Singh Bhandari, Chief Minister Rabri Devi and several members of the Cabinet.

Addressing the gathering, the Union Tourism Minister, Mr Madan Lal Khurana, said it was the dream of Buddhists all over the world to visit Bodhgaya at least once in their life to see the place where Buddha attained enlightenment and delivered the sermon of Buddhism.

He said that his ministry has chalked out a plan to develop Buddhist pilgrimage centres in a big way and added that the mahotsava had been organised to focus the world’s interest on these holy places associated with Lord Buddha.

The Bihar Governor, Mr Sunder Singh Bhandari, asked the people to internalise the teachings of Buddha to make the world a better place for humanity.

Chief Minister Rabri Devi said it was only through non-violence and love that world peace could be achieved.

On his arrival from Patna, the Prime Minister drove straight to the Mahabodhi Temple, the most sacred of the Buddhist shrines, and offered a 500-metre robe on the statue of the Lord. He also participated in prayers by Buddhist monks who have thronged here from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Japan, Taiwan, China and Tibet.

The Prime Minister also released a souvenir brought out by the organising committee of the mahotsava titled "Buddha vandana."