LUCKNOW: Chief Minister Kalyan Singh deserted that the NIC-MPs team report on Ayodhya “cannot form the basis for the Center to take action against the State Government.” He confidently added “If they feel I have violated court orders, the doors of the court are open. A contempt of court can be filed. I repeat that I have neither violated any court orders nor the Constitution.” “Expressing concern over the recent spate of killings in the Terai region, he said the problem should be viewed in a broader perspective and a long-term integrated master plan should be chalked out for a solution to the vexing problem. “It is a nation-wide problem and thus a meeting of all the militant affected states should be summoned by the Center to work out a solution.” In an informal chat with newspersons here, the Chief Minister pointed out “I neither welcome nor object to the tabling of the NIC-MP team report in Parliament. Of course it would be good if an open discussion is held in Parliament so that the views of all the members are expressed.” The Chief Minister added “If the NIC-MPs team report is tabled. I would like that the report by the BJP team on Ayodhya should also be made part of the proceedings in Parliament and an open discussion beheld.” He likened both the fact finding teams which visited Ayodhya “at par with each other, none of them represented the Parliament.” He argued both the “reports would enable a healthy debate in the House, “I leave the matter of tabling the report to the Government of India,” he said reported that the NIC-MPs delegation had visited Ayodhya “but to this day there is no mention of the terms of reference nor their procedural methodology.” However, he said he could give a detailed reaction to the NIC-MPs team report only when he received an official version of it “I will give a point to point reply on all the matters raised, then”. He reiterated that the Government was committed to constructing the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and added that the obstacles in its construction were being removed step by step.

Describing the problem of terrorism as a nationwide problem, the Chief Minister said a long term integrated master plan should be framed to tackle the menace. He blamed the previous governments in the state for not tackling the problem effectively.

Requesting Opposition parties “not to make a political issue out of the problem of terrorism,” he said he was willing the summon a meeting of leaders of all Opposition parties in the state in order to discuss the problems arising out of terrorism and finding a solution towards maintaining the integrity of the country.

He urged the Center to summon a meeting of all the states facing the problem of terrorism so that cohesive solution could be found out. “I have already talked to the Center thrice in this connection,” he added.

He said the problem of terrorism could not be linked with the law and order problem

Article extracted from this publication >> May 15, 1992