NAGPUR, AUGUST 28: Home Minister LK Advani today chastised those criticising the NDA Government's policies saying they were still to overcome the tendency of being part of the Opposition. In a dig at leaders like Sushma Swaraj who criticised the Government during the meet, Advani said that instead of publicly running down the Government, they should let the ``competent person'' know of their complaints.Delivering the concluding address at the party's three-day National Council meet, Advani said BJP had ceased to be ``natural party of opposition'' and was in power for the past two years. ``Yet some people are unable to understand that. They have to get over their old habit of publicly pointing out Government's shortcoming like when they were in opposition.''With Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee returning to Delhi yesterday, it was left to Advani to defend the Government. ``The Government is being run on the right path and good governance has no relation with ideology,'' he said. Even the political resolution adopted today fully endorsed the Government's policy on Kashmir, lauding its achievements on various fronts and criticising the Congress.Advani countered hardliners' criticising that BJP was abondoning issues like Article 370, Ram Temple and Common Civil Code, by saying ideology and idealism were BJP's strength. It was not a party of ``this and that'' issue but a nation-first party, he said.Fearing that his comments may not be construed as an attempt to throttle inner party democracy, Advani hastened to add ``nobody stops you from pointing out Government's mistakes. But, the family's shortcomings should not be discussed publicly. Our conduct too should be guided by principles of a family,'' he said.Political instability, administrative corruption, economic uncertainty and internal insecurity were the main challenges the BJP faced when it came to power in 1998, Advani said. The economic and political resolutions passed at the Nagpur convention addressed the challenges successfully.Admitting there were still some hitches in the NDA Government's economic policies, he cautioned the Government not to neglect small industries and farmers while pursuing economic liberation. Advani also called upon the industry to be prepared for competition due to the opening of global economy.The Home Minister claimed that NDA Government was not lacking on providing security to people, the first premise of BJP's promise to provide suraj (good governance). The number of militants killed in the Kashmir valley during July this year was the maximum in any single month during past 10 years of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.The political resolution passed today blamed Islamabad for indulging in cross-border terrorism after suffering military and diplomatic defeat in Kargil. The party, however, resolved to ``strengthen Government's hands in both its campaign against terrorism as well as in its peace initiatives''.The BJP National Council commended the Government for amending the Passport Act to check illegal immigration, adoptation of a National Population Policy, setting up a National Commission on Population as well as a National Population Stabilisation Fund, the formation of three new states, for providing quota in promotions and introducing Right to Information Bill.The party also suggested the Government to expedite Lokpal Bill and Women Reservation Bill and consider setting up a Backward Areas Commission to identity the least developed areas and recommend comprehensive measures for development.
