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Fernandes deplores Kalyan, VHP statement on Ram temple

Defence Minister and Samata Party leader George Fernandes today expressed his displeasure over the statements by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh Yadav and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad demanding permission for the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya. He said this contentious issue was not on the national agenda of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

Addressing the media, Fernandes lauded the stand taken by Prime Minister Vajpayee and Home Minister Lal Kishichand Advani on the issue. He said when responsible leaders have made their stand clear on the issue, others should not raise the issue.

To a question regarding his stand on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Fernandes made it clear that he was only concerned about the rampant violation of human rights in Sri Lanka. He said in this connection he had organised a meeting in Delhi which was also attended by Tamils of Sri Lanka. He had also attended two such meetings held at Hong Kong earlier.

Fernandes said he has been protesting against the violation of human rights in Tibet also.

To a question regarding the use of Article 356 against the Rabri Devi government in Bihar, Fernandes said observers from Bihar had said that 'it is a fit case' for the use of Article 356. He said the Samata Party had been also pressing for it. but now, since he was in the government, he could not make such demands. He said it was upto the Union home minister to decide.

asked whether he favoured imposition of the central rule in Arunachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the defence minister quipped that, being a Union minister, he could not express his views in public but could only express it in the cabinet meeting.

To another question, Fernandes said the basic problem in north-eastern states was of UNemployment, and the defence ministry was considering the issue of increasing the recruitment from the region to the armed forces.

UNI

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