The Hindu : Bigots will be dealt with firmly, says Sonia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 14, 2004

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Bigots will be dealt with firmly, says Sonia

By Amit Baruah

NEW DELHI, MARCH 13. "If a Congress government comes to power, the first thing we will do is to enforce the rule of law without fear or favour to deal with all those who spread bigotry," the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, said here today.

Responding to questions after addressing an India Today conclave, Ms. Gandhi, asked what were the three things she would do in her first 100 days as Prime Minister, listed the revival of agriculture and a single-minded focus on job creation as other priorities.

On whether the Congress would continue the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's peace initiative with Pakistan, she replied in the affirmative.

"The Congress has always supported the initiative taken by the Prime Minister. Even when the Government was not willing to reinitiate the dialogue with Pakistan, the Congress was for the dialogue. We are happy that the Prime Minister eventually listened to us... the initiative will be taken forward," she said.

Asked about the present trend of coalition governments in India, she said this phase was likely to continue for some time.

"I am not convinced that it will last forever," Ms. Gandhi said. It will take some years to revert to a two-party system in the country, she felt.

She agreed with a questioner that political parties should disclose the details of monetary contributions received by them, get their accounts audited and make them available to citizens for perusal. Ms. Gandhi also favoured raising the election expenditure limit that currently binds individual candidates.

On the issue of how elections should be funded, Ms. Gandhi favoured "cheques" from the public sector as well as funding from the Government.

Asked what the Congress would do if it did not get enough money from the corporate sector for the coming elections, Ms. Gandhi told the questioner: "I may just come and ask you for some help."

The Congress leader said persons against whom serious criminal charges were pending would not be given the party ticket. Convicted persons, of course, would be kept out.

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