Centre considering Bhandari's report

RAIPUR (MP), Sept 20 (PTI, UNI) — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today indicated that the dismissal of the Rabri Devi Government in Bihar was imminent, saying Article 356 could be used even if a state government enjoyed a majority in the state assembly.

"On one side, there is lawlessness and on the other, there is the majority (of the government). We have to choose one," he told reporters here, adding the Centre would have to take action if people were suffering and there was "chaos".

Stating that there had been occasions when Article 356 had been used despite a state government enjoying a majority, Mr Vajpayee said: "Any decision will be taken thoughtfully... We are a responsible government".

The Prime Minister said his Cabinet was considering the report of Bihar Governor Sunder Singh Bhandari on the law and order situation in the state and other issues.

"The Cabinet will consider the issue and seek the consent of President K.R. Narayanan on any step against the Bihar Government," he said.

He, however, said his government would not misuse the Article of the Constitution.

Earlier he told reporters after laying the foundation stone of the railway zone at Bilaspur that the economic sanctions imposed after the Pokhran nuclear tests had lost their effectiveness and the country was forging ahead in several fields, including science and technology.

"The economic sanctions imposed on the country have become ineffective... We are in a comfortable position economically unlike our neighbours whom we pity.... We are self-reliant in foodgrains and are exporting," he said.

Stating that the imposition of the sanctions had been taken as a challenge, he said the country had made a tremendous progress in science and technology and efforts to make the nation self-reliant would continue.

Referring to the resurgent bonds floated by the government, he said there had been an overwhelming response and a lot of money was pouring in.

Justifying the conduct of nuclear tests in May, Mr Vajpayee said: "The tests were carried out in self-defence... We have been victims of outside attacks and did not want to be anymore."

The security of the nation could not be compromised, he asserted.

The Prime Minister added that the nuclear tests were not meant to indicate "our willingness" to attack any other nation.

Later addressing a public meeting at the European Club grounds here, Mr Vajpayee said the BJP-led government was giving special attention to the backward areas as the country had not witnessed a balanced development in the past 50 years.

Mr Vajpayee said development works should not be linked with any party and on certain issues political considerations should be kept at bay. Special attention should be given for the uplift of the backward areas and sections of people.

Mr Vajpayee said his government was making efforts to solve all vexed problems in people’s interest.

Referring to the floods and other natural calamities in different parts of the country, the Prime Minister said the government was prepared to face the challenges. He also appealed to people to liberally donate to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund and the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund so that the suffering people could be provided assistance.

Justifying the long-pending demand for setting up the railway zone, Mr Vajpayee said the demand was proper and he had supported it during the Budget debate in Parliament as the leader of the Opposition. He had never imagined that the demand could be fulfilled through him only, Mr Vajpayee said.

The Prime Minister expressed the hope that the setting up of the railway zone would accelerate the development of the region, which had natural resources in abundance.

About the formation of the Chhattisgarh state, he said it would pave the way for fulfilling the aspirations of people and the development of the area in accordance with their expectations.

Laloo threatens to move court

PATNA, Sept 20 (PTI, UNI) — RJD president Laloo Prasad Yadav today threatened to move court if the Bihar Government was dismissed and demanded immediate recall of Governor Sunder Singh Bhandari for saying that the situation in the state was "ripe for central rule".

Mr Yadav said he would take the battle to the court of law if the state government was dismissed. "Where is constitutional breakdown and lawlessness in the state?"

"By issuing such a statement, Mr Bhandari has also breached the oath of office and secrecy as the constitutional head of the State. He should have refrained from mentioning such things in public", he contended.

The Governor’s statement came at a time when a crucial debate was on in the state assembly on the presidential reference to the Vananchal Bill, he said. "More so, it is also a matter of serious concern that the statement came on the eve of the confidence motion moved by Chief Minister Rabri Devi, he added.

In Delhi, the Congress opposed any move to impose President’s rule in Bihar using Article 356 of the Constitution and said the government would have to think of dissolving the Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra assemblies before it moved on to any other state.

Party spokesman Ajit Jogi said the use of Article 356 could be done only if there was any "constitutional breakdown" and not on any other considerations.

The party, he said, had taken a "strong view" of the statement of Bihar Governor Sunder Singh Bhandari that Bihar was a fit case for using Article 356. Airing such statements in public was not "proper" for a person occupying the constitutional position that too when the President was out of the country.

Clarifying the stand of the Congress on the Jharkhand issue Mr Jogi said the Congress was "fully committed" to a separate statehood for the area and demanded that the special session of the Bihar Assembly should primarily discuss this issue before the proposed vote of confidence by the ruling RJD.

He said that he had information that the Bihar Government had accepted the suggestion of the party that the Jharkhand issue should be taken up first and the vote of confidence later. The party, he said, was united in supporting the Jharkhand issue and there was no disunity among the Congress legislators in Bihar.

Asked whether the Congress would support the Rabri Devi Government when the vote of confidence came up before the House, Mr Jogi evaded a direct reply by saying the necessary whip would be issued at that time.

West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu has also condemned the move to dismiss the Bihar Government and advised Mr Yadav to move the Supreme Court if the situation demanded.

In a statement last night, Mr Basu said Mr Bhandari’s remarks proved that the BJP had "no respect for democratic norms".

Mr Basu urged the Rabri Devi Government to resist such an "undemocratic" move of the BJP on the floor of the assembly.

The veteran Marxist said that during his talks a few days ago he had advised Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav to move the apex court, if the need arose, to resist the imposition of President’s rule.

"No government can be dismissed in this manner", he said.

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha (RLM) today condemned Mr Bhandari’s statement and said it was approaching all opposition parties to defend democracy in the country.

Morcha spokesman Amar Singh told reporters in Delhi he had talks with DMK leader Murasoli Maran and CPM leader H.S. Surjeet who had assured full support against the alleged conspiracy of the BJP-led government in Bihar.

The morcha was also writing letters to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and AICC general secretary in-charge of Bihar affairs Madhavrao Scindia seeking the party’s support in this regard, Mr Amar Singh said.

He said a high-level opposition party delegation would meet President K.R. Narayanan soon after his arrival to tell him about the "conspiracy" hatched by BJP leaders in his absence to destabilise the Bihar Government.

He also criticised the statement of Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee and Home Minister L.K. Advani on Bihar and alleged that there was a conspiracy against the Rabri Devi Government.

He also accused Mr Bhandari of acting as party leader rather than as a Governor and said the RLM would demand his recall from the state.

Meanwhile, a report from Ranchi said almost all parties barring the CPM and the RJD took to the streets here today in support of the region’s over five-decade-old demand for a separate state.

The parties sympathising with the Jharkhand cause also demanded immediate dismissal of the Rabri Devi Government and the imposition of President’s rule in the wake of the alleged attempts being made by the ruling party to whip up ethnic passion and create a "civil war-like’’ situation in the state.

The parties fighting for the region’s demand have gathered under the banner of the Sarvodalya Alag Rajya Sangharsh Samiti which has given a call for a "Jharkhand bandh" tomorrow.

The samiti constituted in protest against the "anti Jharkhand" stance of the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief, Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav, is a group of 16 political and non-political organisations, including the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (Soren), the Jharkhand People’s Party, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (Mardi), the Samajwadi Janata Party, the Youth Congress (I), the NSUI and the Samajwadi Party of Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Despite an announcement by former BJP Vananchal committee chief Babu Lal Marandi not to have truck with it, the samiti has the support of the BJP’s local unit.

The samiti has also decided to observe "pledge day" on September 21 to fight for the creation of a separate state. The samiti’s agitational programmes have been actively supported by the Jharkhand Advocate’s Council and the Jharkhand Kshetriya Patrakar Sangh.

81 MLAs to boycott trust vote

PATNA, Sept 20 (PTI) — All 81 legislators from South Bihar are unanimous in boycotting the trust vote sought by the Rabri Devi Government in the state assembly tomorrow, JMM (S) chief Shibu Soren and former BPCC president Sarfaraz Ahmed said here today.

There was total unanimity among the legislators on the issue, they told reporters after an all party meeting.

"We are in constant touch with the RJD legislators from the region and they are also likely to rally behind us despite the whip issued by the party,’’ they claimed.

The meeting was attended by leaders of both factions of the JMM and MLAs belonging to the Congress, the CPI, the CPML and the Janata Dal hailing from South Bihar.

Mr Soren and Mr Ahmed termed the confidence motion as "unconstitutional" and said the move was aimed at countering the imminent dismissal of the RJD government.

"The three-day special session has been convened especially to discuss the Bihar Reorganisation (Vananchal) Bill, 1998, and not for any other purpose,’’ they said.

The RJD government had moved the motion to "prove that the Rabri Devi Government was sacked despite enjoying the majority support in the House,’’ they added.

Mr Soren and Mr Ahmed termed the dissolution of the interim Jharkhand Area Autonomous Council as "unconstitutional" and said the action smacked of a "vendetta".

Referring to his dismissal as chairman of the JAAC, Mr Shibu Soren said: "Even a peon is served with a show cause notice before terminating his services’’. Since his party withdrew support to the Rabri Devi Government, the JAAC stood dissolved, Mr Soren said.

A separate Jharkhand state was the only goal for his party and he would not hesitate to seek support even from the BJP in achieving this goal. A joint agitation for the creation of a separate Jharkhand state would be launched from September 22.

"Though the agitation will be non-violent, I cannot say with certainty what shape it will take since the people have become restive after the assertion by Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav that Bihar will be divided over his body.’’

Mr Soren said that all factions of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha would support the BJP government in case it invoked Article 356 in Bihar. "I have already thanked the Prime Minister for bringing the Bihar Reorganisation (Vananchal) Bill,’’ he said.