New Delhi, March 25
The National Executive meeting of the BJP today concluded its two- day session, finalising an elaborate strategy for regaining people’s confidence with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee stressing the need for introspection.

“There is need for introspection. A suitable mechanism should be evolved to ensure that such incidents do not recur,” Mr Vajpayee told mediapersons on the conclusion of the party’s two-day National Executive here.

In an apparent effort to assuage a hurt media which came under sharp attack from NDA leaders, including those of the BJP recently, the Prime Minister said the media was not to be blamed for the expose.

“I do not blame the media as it has done its job. It has alerted us. There are some shortcomings in the system and these need to be rectified,” Mr Vajpayee pointed out.

Mr Vajpayee, who delivered the valedictory speech at the concluding session, said as the elections were becoming increasingly expensive, there was need for electoral reforms to make party funding “transparent”.

The Prime Minister said while individual spending on elections was monitored and accounted for, there was no such provision for checking expenditure by political parties.

The BJP, he said, had the Aajiwan Sahyog Nidhi for fund collection from the public.

This scheme of political funding is based on the philosophy of decentralisation of political funds to reduce dependence on big money. It is based on the principle of collecting funds through small amounts from a larger section of supporters and sympathisers.

Earlier, in its economic resolution, the party decided to woo the middle class which has been the mainstay of the BJP and has got disillusioned with it recently, particularly after the Tehelka expose.

Echoing new party President K. Jana Krishnamurthi’s concern over lowering of interest rate on small savings, the executive recommended to the government to consider providing some relief to affected depositors in small savings.

The BJP also asked the government to strengthen anti-dumping machinery, provide timely protection to domestic economy, specially agricultural sector and safeguard interest of poorer section and workers while initiating second generation economic reforms.

At the same time, the party cautioned the government , saying while initiating second generation reforms, including labour reforms, “utmost care should be taken by the government to protect interests of poorer sections and workers with regard to increase in employment opportunities and accessibility to essential items.”

It also called upon the government to ensure speedy implementation of all social welfare and development measures besides strengthening anti-dumping machinery and providing timely protection to domestic economy, specially the agricultural sector.

The party said economic dimension would be an integral part of its forthcoming nationwide mass awareness campaign against the Tehelka related conspiracy “through which vested interests wanted to destabilise the economy and the country.”

The government’s economic policy, including lifting of quantitative restrictions under the WTO and labour laws, have been under attack from some quarters, including the Sangh Parivar outfits such as the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and Bharatiya Kisan Sangh.

In a separate resolution, the executive condemned the demolition of Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan by Taliban military rulers and asked the international community to examine appropriate action against the “medieval militia” and disapprove of Pakistan’s support to then regime.

“The principal mentor and supporter of the Taliban militia, in its international terrorist acts, is Pakistan and the international community must take note of this grave nexus and express its disapproval of Pakistan’s support for the encouragement of Taliban militia,” said a resolution which was adopted at the national executive meeting.

The international community, it said, “Apart from being outraged by the action (destruction of statues) must carefully address itself to the dangerous aberration in this region and understand its full implication”.

The party asked the government to request the UN General Assembly, the Security Council and UNESCO to carefully monitor the Taliban’s activities “in order to pre-empt any future acts of cultural vandalism.”

The party decided to go a whole hog to face the Congress offensive, accusing it of trying to destablise the ''longest surviving’’ non-Congress government. The political resolution said the Congress was ‘frustrated’ at having been out of power for long and was conspiring to “usurp’’ power.