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PM accuses Congress of raising communal bogey

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today came down heavily on the Congress for pursuing the "politics of vote banks" and resorting to a "disinformation campaign" that the minorities will be unsafe under the Bharatiya Janata Party's rule.

Kicking off the first leg of his election campaign in Tamil Nadu for the National Democratic Alliance at the Arignar Anna Stadium in Nagercoil, he said that ever since the BJP-led coalition had come to power last year, the Congress had begun spreading false information about communal peace.

The Congress has been raising the bogey of communal tension and riots with an eye on the minority votes, he said. But it will not succeed in its attempt due to the prevailing communal peace, he added.

Terming the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam of J Jayalalitha, his former ally, as the "sole destabilising factor" in his coalition government, Vajpayee said it began troubling his government by demanding the dismissal of the DMK government in Tamil Nadu.

But the BJP did not accept the demand because Article 356 of the Constitution cannot be invoked against a government that enjoys majority support in the state assembly, he said.

In Bihar, however, when the Centre decided to impose President's rule as it was a "fit case", the Congress rushed to the rescue of the Rashtriya Janata Dal government, he pointed out.

All the partners except the AIADMK had co-operated with the government to improve the country's economy, food production and exports, he said.

Lashing out at the Congress for joining hands with the AIADMK to topple his government, Vajpayee said it was significant to note that those who had destabilised two United Front governments had played the game again.

This election has been thrust upon the country at a time when the BJP government was on the job of realising the dream of making the nation free of hunger and strong, economically, scientifically and militarily, he said.

The Pokhran II nuclear tests were conducted towards this end, he said.

The prime minister criticised the Congress for violating its promise of 'constructive co-operation' when it realised that his government was becoming more popular.

Referring to the designs of the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence to wreck the peace in the country, Vajpayee said: "We will not tolerate anti-national activity. We will put down the ISI activities with a firm hand."

Denying the Congress contention that the BJP is anti-minority, the prime minister said his party does not favour mixing religion with politics. India has always been a secular state, he added.

Claiming that his government had changed the country's profile, Vajpayee said India is more self-confident and stronger now. "We have not only won the battle in Kargil but also registered a dynamic victory," he claimed.

Referring to his peace initiative with Pakistan, he said: "I went to Lahore not for fun, but to improve ties with the neighbour. But the bus to Lahore was hijacked by Pakistan and taken to Kargil."

Lauding the soldiers for their valiant fight against the Pakistan-backed intruders, Vajpayee said the families of those who laid down their lives would not be allowed to suffer.

The prime minister introduced the NDA-BJP candidate for the Nagercoil Lok Sabha constituency and the NDA-DMK candidate for the Thiruvattar assembly constituency.

Marumalarchi DMK chief V Gopalasamy and BJP state president K N Lakshman also spoke.

UNI

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