The Hindu : National : Vajpayee seeks another term `to avoid instability'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 16, 2004

National

National

Vajpayee seeks another term `to avoid instability'

By J.P. Shukla

The Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, filing his nomination papers in Lucknow on Thursday. - Photo: Subir Roy

LUCKNOW, APRIL 15. The Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, today sought a second term for his Government to steer the country out of "a state of crisis that might be caused by political instability" after the Lok Sabha elections.

"India has been facing a crisis which is not external in nature. This is a crisis posed to the democratic functioning of the country. While the country is well prepared to face any external crisis, the present crisis can be overcome only by electing a stable government at the Centre," he told an election meeting after filing his nomination papers from the Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency.

In the past too, there were occasions when it appeared that Indian democracy was in a crisis and would give way to dictatorship and autocracy. The people, however, brought the country on the right course and democracy thrived, he said. "Democracy in India is dependent on its 100 crore people and not on any single individual."

Mr. Vajpayee said his Government had been able to improve public amenities to a large extent. While the country had marched in the right direction, the goal was yet to be achieved. He sought another term so that the process of development initiated by him could be completed.

The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the electoral battle would be fought on principles, ideals and values. When he first contested the Lok Sabha elections in 1956, his only objective was to build India as a great nation. The developmental work that had taken place in the country in the past five years was there for everyone to see, he said. While the whole world was making progress, India could not afford to lag behind.

Mr. Vajpayee said his Government had to deal with different parties holding different ideologies in different States but it functioned with a sense of unity. The Centre and the States had enough powers and what was needed was to honestly exercise these powers in public interest. All doubts about the functioning of an alliance government had been removed and the people's faith in the country had been strengthened.

He also referred to Monday's stampede at the function organised to celebrate the birthday of the party leader, Lalji Tandon, in which 22 women and children were killed. Expressing grief, he said he felt suffocated at the heart-rending accident. It was necessary to remain cautious about such happenings and try to avoid them.

`End personal attacks'

PTI reports from New Delhi:

In an interview to the television channel, NDTV 24x7, he called for an immediate end to all personal attacks on the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi. "I don't know why senior leaders continue to attack her even when I had asked them not to. This is unfortunate and should not have happened. This must end now."

He was replying to a question on what he thought of remarks about Ms. Gandhi by the BJP leaders, Narendra Modi and Vinay Katiyar.

Elaborating on the foreign origin issue, Mr. Vajpayee maintained that the question of people of foreign origin occupying public office was a problem before the people. "It is not we who raked this up. It is the Nationalist Congress Party which did it. It is a controversy which should be debated in this country. But the controversy doesn't mean that we should single out an individual, in this case Sonia Gandhi. This is an issue about a policy and not about an individual."

Asked whether he would push for legislation on the issue as stated in the NDA manifesto, he said, "I think there should first be a national debate. Only then the question of legislation should arise. If we have a majority in the House, then legislation should be passed."

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National