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Manmohan rejects Lalu’s charge

Sushanta Talukdar

‘Only fault of Congress was that it believed Kalyan’s word to Supreme Court’

PHOTO: RITU RAJ KONWAR

ON A POSITIVE NOTE: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh being welcomed with the traditional Assamese japi (headgear) as Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi (second from right) applauds at an election rally in Guwahati on Sunday. —

Guwahati: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday said the Congress could not be blamed for the demolition of the Babri Masjid and the only fault that could be found with it was that it believed the assurance given in an affidavit to the Supreme Court by the then BJP Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Kalyan Singh, that the structure would be protected. The BJP was to be solely blamed for the demolition.

Refuting Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad’s charge that the Congress was equally responsible for the demolition, Dr. Singh told journalists on the sidelines of an election rally here: “It is an old story. It is known to everyone that Mr. Kalyan Singh gave a solemn assurance to the Supreme Court and after that he did what he did. The Congress certainly cannot be blamed because it believed that Mr. Kalyan Singh would honour the affidavit given to the Supreme Court. But he didn’t honour it and that is the only fault you can find with the Congress with regard to the demolition of the mosque.”

War of words

Asked about the war of words between him and BJP’s prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani, he indicated his desire to end it.

“Whatever I had to say I have said already. I don’t want to prolong this dialogue.”

On the naxalite attacks in the first phase of polling, he said naxalism, terrorism and extremism posed a grave danger to the country’s peace, stability and progress and only the Congress could provide a strong and committed leadership to tackle them.

Dr. Singh said there was a vast difference between the BJP’s words and action as far as terrorism was concerned.

He hoped that the global meltdown would blow over ‘partially’ by September and then the country could go back to the growth rate of 8-9 per cent.

On the threat of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal falling into the hands of the Taliban, he said India had been assured that the nuclear arsenal was in safe hands and he had no reason to disbelieve the statement.

Dr. Singh promised that if voted back to power, the Congress would focus on removing the economic disparity between the north-eastern States and the advanced States to address the region’s insurgency problem.

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