NEW DELHI, SEPT 1: Rattled by the frontal attack on the government by one of its own organisations - the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) - the BJP today defended the government saying it was pro-swadeshi. The party also ruled out acceding to the Manch's demand that the two economic advisory panels set up by the Prime Minister be reconstituted.``The BJP and the government are not wholly in agreement with the criticism made (by the SJM). But we will consider any constructive suggestions,'' party spokesman K L Sharma said today. He said that the Budget and the policies of the government reflected its commitment to swadeshi.Yesterday, the SJM launched a scathing attack on the government accusing it of ``side-stepping'' the BJP manifesto which made swadeshi the pivot of economic policies. It demanded that the government review the direction in which it was taking the economy. It also demanded that the government ``undo'' the recognition and promotion given to known anti-swadeshibureaucrats like Montek Singh Ahluwalia and N K Singh.Top RSS leaders such as K S Sudarshan, Madan Das and Dattopant Thengdi and representatives of other Sangh Parivar frontal organisations like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and ABVP were present at the meeting at which the resolution castigating the government was passed.Sharma, however, insisted that the BJP-led government was working according to the National Agenda of Governance and that it believed that swadeshi was important. ``What the SJM has said is their opinion. There can be two opinions,'' he said.He remained silent when asked if the Maruti-Suzuki deal, giving the Nyveli extension project to an inexperienced Italian company and the government's decision to significantly reduce its stake in Air-India could be characterised as pro-swadeshi.
