NEW DELHI: Prime: Minister P.V Narasimha Rao on Oct. 19 categorically denied suggestion that the ensuing Assembly elections in the six states were a referendum on his Government’s performance and its Ayodhya policy.

At a Press conference, where he released the Congress manifesto, Rao said the tom referendum had a different meaning and was “a totally different cup of tea.”

He asserted that the Congress was seeking the people’s verdict on a set of programs and there was “no question of considering the electoral verdict as a referendum.”

“No” was his reply to a question whether he would resign if the BJP returned to power in the four States which were earlier under its rule. “The BJP will not come to power,” Rao asserted,

Rao said he was confident that his party would win in the elections in the six States, Asked whether he was also confident about Uttar Pradesh, Rao said “If there is something more than 100%, I am ready to say even that.”

The Congress president, who answered questions on a wide range of issues, including Ayodhya, Kashmir, and the delinking of religion from politics, became visibly upset at the barrage of questions posed by newspersons of organizational is Sues like the delay in setting up the Congress Parliamentary Board,

He was at great pains in explaining the party’s constitution, which clearly stipulates that it was the Central Election Committee and not the CPB, which should distribute the party tickets.

Would the delay in constituting the CPB prove the of repeated charge that he was “the most indecisive Prime Minister ever,” a newsperson wanted to know. A visibly annoyed Rao replied that it was the most “uncharitable re mark” about 4 Prime Minister, “especially me.”

Yet another wanted to know whether there was dissension within the rank and file of the Congress over the distribution of tickets. “Many people are disappointed that there is no infighting within the Congress.”

On Ayodhya, Rao asserted that the solution to the contentious dispute were “visible now” and the issue had lost “much of its compelling character.” According to him, there was “complete certainty” that both the temple and the mosque would be built in Ayodhya.

It was necessary that matters relating to religion were handled by the religious leadership, he said. He also appealed to religious leaders not to allow “contamination of politics” and that politicians should try to “contaminate” religion

According to him, once the Supreme Court gave its opinion, the temple and the mosque would be built by the religious leaders, “All the necessary ingredients to the solution are before you.”

Asked on what basis the party had claimed an improvement in the situation in the Kashmir Val ley, when the situation in the past two to three days had proved otherwise, Rao said the Government would not have been able to “hold the situation” as regards the Hazaratbal shrine, if there was no improvement.

Increasingly upset by the persistent questioning by newspersons on his Government’s functioning, Rao abruptly cut short the press conference by getting up from his chair, it was left to party spokesperson V.N.Gadgi to announce that the press conference was over.

Article extracted from this publication >>  October 29, 1993