The Hindu : National : Paswan demands ban on VHP, Bajrang Dal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Paswan demands ban on VHP, Bajrang Dal

Shujaat Bukhari

LASSIPORA (PULWAMA): Union Minister of Chemicals, Fertilizers and Steel, Ram Vilas Paswan, on Monday demanded a ban on the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) for “inciting communalism in the country.” He said the minorities should feel secure “in this country which in turn guarantees its safety.”

On the sidelines of the foundation stone-laying ceremony of a Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) processing unit here, Mr. Paswan told reporters that parties such as the Bajrang Dal and the VHP were responsible for the flaring up of communal passions in the country. He referred to the recent Amarnath land row and the attacks on Christians and said “these people should be tackled to maintain the country’s secular fabric.”

“When minorities in India feel secure the country will be safe,” he said.

He pointed out that minorities such as the Sikhs in Punjab, Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir and Christians in the North East were on the borders and “they should not feel threatened.” “Even if you make Delhi or Mumbai prosperous but do not take care of these people, you cannot make the country secure.”

‘Peace in Kashmir soon’

Mr. Paswan hoped that Kashmir will soon be peaceful, with the cooperation of the people of the State. “There have been problems in the past and I am sure that these will be solved and the State will be back on the path of peace and development,” said the Minister, who heads the Lok Jan Shakti Party.

He said the SAIL’s processing unit here was part of the initiative of his Ministry to set up such units in areas which do not have steel plants and where there was substantial demand for steel. He announced that Rs. 150 crore would be invested in this unit by SAIL and it would be completed by January 2010.

Mr. Paswan said that in the last four years, steel production in the country increased from 35 million tonnes per annum to 59 million tonnes and “our endeavour is to make it 124 million tonnes in the next three years.”

“Despite the increase in production, there is a big gap between demand and supply” said the Minister, adding that the unit would go a long way in providing employment to Kashmiris.

Being built with an initial capacity of one lakh tonnes per annum, the Pulwama Steel Processing Unit (SPU) will produce TMT bars of 8 to 25 mm diameter and galvanised corrugated sheets from input materials sourced from SAIL’s Integrated Steel Plants. The unit will have TMT Bar Mill with 40 thousand tonnes per annum TPA capacity and cut to length and corrugation line of 60 thousand TPA capacities for GP Coils / Sheets.

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

National