On the recent Savarkar controversy
Aiyar's statements are his personalviews and not of the government...it is an unnecessary controversy. Savarkar was a freedom fighter and a patriot,but therewere some aspects of his life which have created controversies. He was also associated with the ideology ofHindutva with which all of us do not agree. He also was an accused in the Gandhi assassination case but wasacquitted. History, however, gives us the luxury ofinterpreting events in different ways, but I do not think any any good isachievedby speaking ill of the dead.
On "de-toxification" of education
Our focus is on de-politicisation of institutions by giving them maximum autonomy to manage their concerns. But certain distortions were introduced in the last five or six years. These needed to be corrected. I'm opposed to fundamentalism of all kinds, whether from the Left or Right. Our education policiesshouldmotivate all the sectors to give their very best in terms ofprofessionalism andshould not be a prisoner of any ideology or excessive dominance of bureaucracy.
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On Vajpayee asking the government to take steps to break the parliamentary deadlock
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. I met Mr Vajpayee as part our efforts to consult political parties before Indo-Pak talks. As for the wider issue of what happens in Parliament, the Speaker has convened a meeting to discuss the issue.
On being "rude"
The impression that we are not amenable to reason or discussion is not correct. The specific incident is a closed chapter and I don't want to dwell on it.
On Indo-Pak dialogue
The dialogue can moveforward only ifterrorism is under control. We continue to be concerned aboutinfiltration. Wecontinue to believe that for the process of reconciliation to moveforward,there must be an honest effort on the part of all concerned toimplement whatwas promised in the January six, 2004 statement.
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Our approach to talks will be based on realismand thebelief that the people of South Asia are bound together by a shareddestiny. It is not my nature to promise a false dawnbut I dobelieve in the ancient saying that a road is made by walking step by step.
My agenda (for his proposed meeting withMusharraf) wouldbe to normalise and expand the multifaceted relations between the twocountries. We do not buy the argument that it(Kashmir) is theonly issue affecting relations between India and Pakistan.
On Indian nuclear doctrine
Let me say weare a nuclear weapon state and weaccept all that goes with it. I think also that it is our view that theno first useposture is the right posture to be adopted by a country like ours.
On ties with US, Russia, China
We willcontinue tostrengthen strategic and political equations with the United States andthe RussianFederation. Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran will be visiting Washingtonin thecoming fortnight for final negotiations on the subject, this willenable closerbilateral cooperation in the areas of science and technology and spaceexploration. We shall moveforward on resolving the boundary issue with China and fashion a stablecooperative relationship with that country.
On the Security Council seat
It is alegitimateaspiration that India's interests and concerns cannot be ignored forany reformsin the United Nations system. With a collective strength of a hundredmillion peopleIndia cannot be ignored. A new international order has to take intoaccount theinterests of countries like India and Brazil.
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On tainted ministers
Ifthe lawallows people of criminal antecedents to get elected and to expectthese personsnot to be made ministers, I think there is some inconsistency there. The time has come for all political parties tosittogether to agree on electoral reforms to ensure that tainted personsof allshades of opinion do not get elected to Parliament. It is only this waywe canensure that criminalisation of politics and persons of corruptpractices do notenter legislatures and impact on the processes. We cannot allow taintedpersonsto sit in judgment over the processes in Parliament and legislatures.
Code of conduct for MPs
All politicalparitiesmust sit together and work out a new code of conduct for MPs inParliament. During the just concluded Budget Session ofParliament,I had expressed deep regret and concern on the floor of both the Housesover themanner in which important bills were passed without being subjected toParliamentary scrutiny.
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On whether Punjab and Manipur controversies a threat to the centre's supremacy?
There are nodoubtproblems. I am confident that our polity is resilient enough to dealwith theseissues. So, therefore, one should not read too much into these issues. It is not for the first time that these thingshavehappened We have to deal with these issues keeping inmind theirsensitiveness.
Water gives rise to emotions. Whatever we do has to be done keeping in mind its sensitivity. The Punjab legislation annulling all wateragreementsand the subsequent developments showed that the centre was concerned asit hadpromptly approached the Supreme Court requesting it to test thelegality of thelaw. When the court gives its opinion, corrective steps will be taken.
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The Armed Forces Special Power Act wasenforced inManipur by an explicit decision of the Government of Manipur and hencethey havea right to modify their decision.
On the creation of Telengana
We arecommitted to theestablishment of a separate Telengana state. What we need is to haveconsultation with all concerned.
On whether Sonia is 'super PM'
Thereis no foundation for such a statement. Sonia Gandhi is the chairpersonof UPA andshe is also the Congress president. She has every right to know whatgoes on inthe government. The insinuation that there are two centres ofpower isnot true.
On being the PM
It is a great honourand privilegeto be entrusted with this onerous responsibility. Ofcourse I was not an aspirant for the post but having been in office forover 100days I consider it as an honour, challenge and opportunity.
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On spin doctors
I am not notaware ofwhat the spin doctors are doing for my image building and youcannot blame mefor all this.
On whether the government would last its full term
Ibelieve ourgovernment is going to last for full five years. Let there be no doubtorambiguity about it. The misconception that I can be pressured to giveinis simply not going to materialise.
On cabinet expansion
You will no doubt hear about it when it does take place
On whether he would contest a Lok Sabha seat
I have not applied my mind to the question
On POTA
We will bring an ordinance torepeal POTA in consonance with the UPA's promise made in the National CommonMinimum Programme.
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On reservation for women
We arecommitted tolegislate that one-third of seats in Lok Sabha and State assemblies arereservedfor women.
On inflation
We shall take firm measuresto checkinflation without hurting the growth process. Inflationis a matter of concern. It is partly due to overhang of excessliquidity whichwas building over last two years. But I assure you that despite increasing worldoilprices, delayed arrival of monsoon and avoidable disruptions caused bysuchactions as the truckers strike, we shall be able to controlinflationarypressures. Investments are buoyant, non-food credit hasgone up.Exports growth is much better. Industrial growth has been better thanpreviousyears.
On FDI and the Left
I admit that there are some complications. Ihope wecan persuade the Left. We are engaged in a constructive dialogue. Wewill have aconclusion which is a forward looking one. Since 1991 no government has been able toachieve thetargets for FDI. There is no change in attitude on FDI...This countryneedslarge doses of FDI.
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On stock markets
Our government is committed to provide ahealthy stockmarket. I do not claim to know the dynamics of the stock market butgovernmentremains committed to create a conducive environment. Genuine investors should be rest assured thatwe willnot pursue a path that is not investor-friendly.
On disinvestment
There is no ideological aversion todisinvestment andthere is enough scope for it but the government would not allow thechange ofcharacter of profit-making PSUs in the process from public to private.
On employment
Employment generation is a high priority area for the government, anexpandedversion of food- for-work programme would be announced in next 1-2months.
Development strategy for 7-8 per cent growthshould belabour and agriculture-oriented to provide more job opportunities, andthegovernment is committed to create congenial atmosphere for employmentgrowth.
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On reservations
The private sector needs to enlarge employmentopportunities for disadvantaged sections of the society. The newlyconstitutedGroup of Ministers will have a dialogue with the private sector to findout whatis possible without legislation.
Modalities for enhancing opportunities forSCs, STs andOBCs in private sector need to be worked out in close consultation andcooperation with the private sector.
More attention will have to be paid toeducation andhealth as part of mid-term correction. This does not mean that we havegiven upon the reforms. We will stay on course as committed in the NCMP.
On agriculture
In the next three years,farmcredit will be doubled. Wherever farmers have problems in returningloans,rescheduling arrangement will be made. Problems have existed for a long time.It is wrong to say that nothing has been done but it problems cannot beresolvedin a short time. Our effort is to provide maximum benefit to thefarmers. The focus will be on upgrading the irrigationfacilities and increasing farm credit by 30 per cent this fiscal.
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On growth
Thereis noevidence to believe that there is deceleration in growth... Industrialgrowth(so far this fiscal) has been higher than previous year, investment isbuoyant,non-food credit growth is higher and export growth is better than lastyear The short term economic scenario worked out inamanner, which we would not like to go for.
The Common Minimum Programme has committed thegovernment to a reform path to take care of those sections which wereso fardeprived of the benefits of the reforms. Deliberately, we have to do a mid coursecorrection butthat does not mean we have given up reforms. We will stay on ourcourse. Theentire reform process would be carried out after taking into accountthe viewsof the coalition partners.
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Political will cannot be legislated. It islike askinga person whether he is patriot, whether he has courage, whether he haspoliticalwill. Everybody will say, they have political will. At the same time,we have torecognise the needs of different people. It is through constructive dialogue we have tomakeprogress.
