Vajpayee flays political untouchability in the garb of secularism

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, expressed his disapproval of political untouchability in the garb of secularism, and asserted that nobody could tear the secular fabric of India.

''India was secular, India is secular and India will remain secular,'' Vajpayee thundered while participating in the debate in the Lok Sabha on the vote of confidence sought by Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.

Vajpayee said a mid-term election appeared be the only way out though no political party wanted an election at this juncture.

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader felt the present stalemate was the result of an incorrect interpretation of the verdict of the people. It was true that no party had won a majority, but the BJP was the single largest party and the people's verdict was certainly not against it, he said.

Vajpayee said the need of the hour was for the political parties to learn how to work together. When coalitions can succeed in other countries why cannot they succeed in India, he asked.

He also wanted to know why the Congress had withdrawn support on March 30, when the Budget session was on. He said corruption had proved to be the clinching issue in the last general election, resulting in the failure of the Congress in securing a majority.

Vajpayee said the clock had come full circle and introspection was necessary now. Mutual trust, he said, was necessary for running coalitions, and the UF’s anti-Congress attitude was responsible for the present crisis. The supporting party (the Congress) had not been accorded its due place, which had led to the present crisis, he said, pointing out that the BJP was involved in running coalition governments in several states successfully.

He, however, said that the United Front experiment was not a waste as several regional outfits had come to the Centre and participated in governance which, in turn, had led to their developing an all-India perspective.