NEW DELHI, Nov 20 (UNI): Prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today asked BJP Members of Parliament to neutralise effectively all opposition to the Prevention Of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO).
Addressing a meeting of the BJP parliamentary party, he said the opposition to POTO was politically motivated.
Some parties had launched a campaign against it.
This must be answered forcefully.
The government, he said, was already in touch with various political parties to arrive at some consensus on POTO.
But at the same time the party members should also be ready to face the opposition to the legislation on the floor of the house.
The prime minister said the entire world had realised the dangers of terrorism.
A global fight against terrorism was already on and India will support it till the menace was rooted out.
He said India had been fighting terrorists activities for the past 20 years and understood its implications.
To curb such activities aided from across the border, the government had brought in POTO, he added.
Vajpayee also informed the meeting that his tour of three countries had been quite successful.
Sharing the concern of the members over the atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh, he said the government had taken up the matter seriously with Dhaka.
An external affairs official was also sent there to talk with authorities.
"We are in constant touch with Bangladesh," he added.
No charge against Fernandes: PM NEW DELHI, Nov 20 (UNI): Prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today reasserted that there was no charge against defence minister George Fernandes in the light of Tehelka expose.
Addressing BJP Members of Parliament here, Vajpayee said it was his prerogative to include George Fernandes in the council of ministers.
Fernandes had resigned in March following the Tehelka revelations.
Govt monitoring situation in Afghanistan: Vajpayee NEW DELHI, Nov 20 (UNI): Prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today said the government was fully monitoring the situation in Afghanistan and was in continuous touch with all relevant parties and groups.
Reiterating Indias stand, the prime minister informed the parliament that New Delhi was engaged with other countries on the future political and humanitarian arrangements in Afghanistan.
"We will also continue to maintain and strengthen our traditional links of solidarity with the government and all the people of Afghanistan," Mr Vajpayee said and added that the situation in Kabul was still "fluid and rapidly changing." Emphasising the need for massive international assistance for reconstruction, he said there was a convergence of views on the need for a broad-based, representative, independent and neutral government in Afghanistan.
Mr Vajpayee said Indias legitimate interest in the political and economic future of Afghansitan was widely acknowledged and it was generally accepted that a more representative framework than six plus two grouping was required for consultations on the future political structure and economic agenda of Afghanistan.
He said India participated in a meeting of 21 countries in New York under the aegis of the United Nations, held to specifically discuss the situtation in Afghanistan.
No political, ideological justification for terrorism:PM NEW DELHI, Nov 20 (UNI) Prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today said the international community needed to summon the necessary political will to ensure that all "funding and safe haven are totally denied to terriorists everywhere." In a suo moto statement made in both houses of parliament on his recent visit to Russia, the US,the UN and UK, he said there could be no political, economic or ideological justification for terrorism.
The campaign against terrorism should not target any religion.
Referring to the developments in Afghanistan, the prime minister said the government was fully monitoring the situation in the strife-torn country and was in continuous touch with all the relevant parties and groups.
Mr Vajpayee said there was a convergence of views on the need for a broad-based, representative, independent and neutral government in Afghanistan.
He said Indias legitimate interest in the political and economic future of Afghanistan was also acknowledged by the world community.
It was accepted that a more representative framework than the six plus two grouping was required for consultation on the future political structure and the economic agenda in Afghanistan.
"We will remain engaged with other countries on future political and humanitarian arrangements in Afghanistan.
We will also continue to maintain and strengthen our traditional links of solidarity with the government and all the people of Afghanistan." The situation in Afghanistan had altered radically during the past fortnight and the Northern Alliance had moved into various urban centres.
However, in Kabul it was still fluid and changing rapidly.
Mr Vajpayee said his visit to Washington was focussed on strengthening wide-ranging dialogue for closer relations.
The two countries agreed to resume and broaden the bilateral economic dialogue and extend cooperation to energy, enviornment, health, bio-technology and information technology.
The India-US defence policy group had been reactivated and will meet in December, he said.
"We agreed to discuss ways to stimulate bilateral high technology commerce and to streamline procedures for transfers of dual use and military items.
The lifting of sanctions should help in this process." About his talks with Russian leaders including president Vladimir Putin, he said the Moscow declaration on terrorism and several bilateral agreements signed during the visit map the contours of future bilateral cooperation.
He held talks in Moscow on diversifaction of the trade basket.
To compensate for the anticipated reduction of Indian exports financed by Rupee debt repayment, promising new areas of trade in information technology, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals and diamoads needed to be energetically explored, he said.
The prime minister also referred to his visit to the UK and his talks with various world leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York.
He said developing countries had recently faced some hard realities of the impact of globalisation on domestic poverty levels and income gaps.
The result of Doha wto meeting again underlined the urgent need for new global dialogue on development, resources, generation for poverty alleviation had to occupy pride place in the dialogue.
Mr Vajpayee said his address to the UN General Assembly highlighted two themes of vital concern the threat to civilised societies from international terrorism and the challenge of equitable development.
"We have to reject arcane and unproductive arguments on the definition of international and state-sponsored terrorism or their root causes.
The universal revulsion against terrorism after September 11 attacks should be exploited to single mindedly destroy all terrorism everywhere." Pak continues to sponsor cross-border terrorism: Advani NEW DELHI, Nov 20 (UNI) Home minister L K Advani told the Lok Sabha today that Pakistan continued to sponsor cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir even after that country had joined the global coalition against terrorism forged after the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.
Replying to supplementaries Mr Advani said there had been no perceptible change in Pakistans attitude towards India even after it had joined the coalition.
"The only gesture from Islamabad since then is that it condemned the attack on the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on October one." Dismissing the opposition charge that prime minister A B Vajpayee had sought the cooperation of the United States after the attack on the Assembly, Mr Advani and said he was willing to place a copy of the letter Mr Vajpayee wrote to US president George W.
The letter was intended to draw the attention of the United States to acts of terrorism indugled in by Pakistan in the wake of terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed operating from Pakistan owning responsbility for the act, he added.
RS adjourned NEW DELHI, Nov 20 (UNI) The Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day today two hours ahead of schedule after it passed the explosive substances (amendment) bill.
The House did not have any other business listed and Mr Santosh Bagrodia, who was in the chair, adjourned the House after the bill was passed.
Fernandes faces uneasy moments in RS NEW DELHI, Nov 20 (UNI) Defence minister George Fernandes faced uneasy moments in the Rajya Sabha today at the time of introduction of new ministers to the House.
Even before leader of the House Jaswant Singh rose to introduce the new ministers, Mr Suresh Pachouri (Cong) said the House had allowed discussons concerning the validity, credibiity, competence of the ministers.
He said Mr Fernandes might deny papers and documents needed by the justice Venkataswami Commission inquiring into the allegations levelled by Tehelka news portal.
Mr Fernandes had quit his post on March 15 to uphold the morale of the defence force, but he was back even before the Commission had given its report.
Though the NDA members protested against Mr Pachouri raising the issue, their voices were drowned in the opposition shoutings.
The introduction of minister of state for defence Harin Pathak was, however, smooth though some shouted against him too.
Chairman Krishan Kant ruled that the appointment of a minister came under the powers of the president and hence the issue could not be raised.
When Mr Jaswant Singh introduced Mr Fernandes, the opposition shouted shame shame even as the minister bowed to the House.
The others were greeted with the thumping of desk.
The others introduced to the House were Mr Arun Shourie, Mr V P Goyal, Mr Vijay Goyal, Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad and Mr Rajiv Prasad Rudy.
No proposal to ban organisations involved in temple entry: Swami NEW DELHI, Nov 20 (UNI) The government has no proposal to ban organisations involved in the recent forcible entry at the disputed Ayodhya temple, minister of state for home I.D.
Swami informed the Lok Sabha during question hour today.
The centre has given strict instructions to the Uttar Pradesh government to further beef up security arrangements at Ayodhya so as to ensure that no such incident recurs in future, Mr Swami said in a written reply.
The review of the security scheme of Ayodhya has also been undertaken by the state government, keeping in mind the new security threats.
Based on the findings of the court of inquiry headed by IG, CRPF, disciplinary action is being taken against the personnel found lax in the security of premises on October 17, he said.
According to the report of the state government, Mr Ashok Singhal and Mr SC Dixit alongwith some 20 other persons entered the disputed premises on October 17, the minister said.
Fernandes reinstatement PM charged with assaulting parliamentary propriety NEW DELHI, Nov 20 (UNI) Prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today came under intense attack from opposition members in the Lok Sabha who demanded an explanation why Mr George Fernandes who resigned in the wake of the Tehelka expose on defence deals was given a clean chit and reinstated as defence minister.
The major opposition parties staged a walkout from the House during zero hour, saying the government was not responding to their request for the prime minister himself to make a statement on the circumstances which compelled him to take back Mr Fernandes into the cabinet.
Almost the entire zero hour in the Lok Sabha was taken up on the issue as opposition leaders, including Mr P R Dasmunshi, Mr Chandra Shekhar, Mr Somnath Chatterjee and Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav charged the prime minister with assaulting parliamentary propriety and political morality and disregarding the Venkataswami Ccommission set up after the Tehelka expose.
Raising the matter, Mr Dasmunshi, Congress chief whip, said Mr Vajpayee had imposed his will and gone against the Commission which was instituted taking into view the importance of the case.
He said the ethics of the cabinet system and political morality had been eroded and the prime minister had gone against the commitment he had made that the minister will not be reinstated until the truth was established.
"Its an assault on parliament, an assault on the Venkataswami Commission and on the PMs faith in his decision-making," Mr Dasmunshi said.
He wondered how within 48 hours of the visit of national security adviser Brajesh Mishra to Washington, Mr Fernandes was back as defence minister.
"What are the circumstance that made the prime minister give a clean chit to Mr Fernandes requires to be explained in the House by Mr Vajpayee himself.
The cabinet is answerable to the House," Mr Dasmunshi said.
With opposition members vehement on getting some reaction from the government with regard to their demand, parliamentary affairs minister Pramod Mahajan said it was the prime ministers prerogative to reinstate Mr Fernandes and there was no question of changing that decision.
Mr Mahajan said the Venkataswami Commission had not raised any allegation against Mr Fernandes and the defence minister was in no way involved in any of the issues that the Commission was probing.
Former prime minister Chandra Shekher said the reinstatement of Mr Fernandes had serious implications.
"Because of political considerations he was made to resign and again because of political consideration he has been brought back.
This does not add grace to Parliament or to the cabinet.
Why has the prime minister behaved in this manner? It is expected that the prime minister explains why he did it," he said.
Mr Chandra Shekher said Mr Vajpayee, when the issue broke out, said Mr Fernandes was not guilty and yet he asked him to resign.
The prime minister ordered an inquiry and the Commission issued summons to Mr Fernandes.
Now the same prime minister had repeated his old statement that Mr Fernandes was not at fault and reinstated him.
The prime minister was not able to make up his mind, Mr Chandra Shekher remarked.
CPI-M leader Somnath Chatterjee said since the matter was of great importance, the Venkataswami Commission was appointed even as the opposition had demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe.
"He (Mr Fernandes) was under the scrutiny of a judicial authority appointed by the prime minister.
How can the prime minister now say he is not guilty.
He has exonerated a person who is under scrutiny.
Its deliberately infleuncing the Commission".
Saying that the prime minister had not shown the minimum respect for the constitution, Mr Chatterjee asked why the government was in a hurry to re-appoint Mr Fernandes.
"The NDA has nobody else who can be defence minister.
External affairs minister Jaswant Singh said there was nobody better than Mr Fernandes for the post.
Why orchestrate a drama.
We now have to every day face a minister who is tainted according to the Commission." Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said the entire government was corrupt and the prime minister was responsible for the serious mess.
"We dont have a report (of the Venkataswami Commission) and Mr Fernandes has been reinstated.
The prime minister and the defence minister have been involved in a controversy.
The prime minister must make his position clear." Govt asked to ensure status quo at Ayodhya NEW DELHI, Nov 20 (UNI) Amid noisy scenes, opposition members today asked the government to ensure that no construction activity took place at the disputed site in Ayodhya and cases were registered against VHP elements against whom FIRs had been lodged for their alleged forcible entry into the area.
Raising the issue during zero hour in the Rajya Sabha, Mr Pachouri also referred to the recent notice issued by the Supreme Court to the Uttar Pradesh government in connection with the cases against union ministers K K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharati in the Ayodhya case.
Mrs Sarala Maheshwari (TDP), Mr Mohammed Azam Khan (SP) and Maulana Obaidullah Khan Azmi (JD) also supported Mr Pachouris demand that steps be taken to prevent any construction activity at the disputed site.
Oppositions adjournment motion rejected NEW DELHI, Nov 20 (UNI) Lok Sabha speaker G M C Balayogi today rejected notices of adjournment motion given by the Congress, the Left, the Samajwadi Party, the RJD and other opposition parties to censure the government on the recent "intrusion by the VHP activists in the Ayodhya shrine in violation of the Supreme Courts directive." Making observation during zero hour, Mr Balayogi said, "An adjournment motion is an extraordinary device.
If it is admitted, the normal business of the House is set aside for discussing a matter of urgent public importance.
Though the subject is important enough to merit discuission in the House, I do not consider it appropriate to adjourn the entire business for this purpose." A meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) and leaders of the parties and groups in the House would be held at 1500 hrs today.
The BAC might decide the manner in which and the time when a discussion on the subject could be taken up, Mr Balayogi said.
Notices on the adjournment motion were received by the speaker from Mr Sanat Kumar Mandal (RSP), Mr Amar Roy Pradhan (Forward Bloc), Mr Ajoy Chakravarty and Mr Parbodhh Panda (both CPI), Mr Ramji Lal Suman, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, (both SP), Dr Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD), Mr Hannan Mollah, Mr Rupchand Pal, Mr Moinul Hassan, Mr Somnatn Chatterjee, Mr Basudeb Acharia, Mr K Suresh, (All CPI-M), Mr Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, Col Sona Ram Choudhary, Prof I G Sanadi, Mr Saiduzzama.
Mr Rajo Singh, Mr Sontosh Mohan Dev, Mr Paban Singh Ghatowar, Mr Dayabhai V Patel, (all Cong) and Mr G M Banatwalla (Muslim League).
