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Journalism of Courage
NALANDA, SEPT 14: Defence Minister George Fernandes today scotched rumours of Janata Dal United parting ways with the National Democratic Alliance in the post-poll scenario if the BJP-led alliance failed to muster a majority.
Reacting to Nationalist Congress chief Sharad Pawar8217;s idea of forming a Third Front after the elections, Fernandes said, 8220;We do not subscribe to such ideas. We are part of the NDA and continue to be with it 8212; Government or no Government.8221;
Asked about Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hegde8217;s outburst against the BJP and holding it responsible for 8220;haggling for seats8221;, Fernandes said, 8220;Of course, we are not one party. So Hegde could speak about the other and vice versa.8221;
Stressing the need for a united face of the alliance, Fernandes admitted some misunderstanding over seat-sharing between the two parties in Karnataka, but asserted that since elections were over in the State, things had ended there itself.
Though the Prime Minister had of late, started avoiding any reference to Congress president Sonia Gandhi8217;s origins, Fernandes is still adamant about his criticism of her, especially after his statement that Sonia8217;s only contribution to the country was her two children.
8220;She herself has been saying everywhere that she was married in this country, produced children here and was even widowed here. I was only repeating her own words,8221; the Defence Minister said.
Queried about the Opposition8217;s charge that he had insulted motherhood by his statement, Fernandes angrily retorts, 8220;When Congress imposed Emergency and I had gone underground, the police hauled up my brother, thrashed him badly, laid him on a railway line, threatening to rape our mother if he did not divulge my whereabouts. Wasn8217;t that an insult to motherhood by the Congress?8221;
Though the Defence Minister talks passionately about the Kargil war, it does not figure as prominently in his campaign as the plea to decimate Laloo Yadav8217;s Rashtriya Janata Dal. 8220;Everyone knows about Kargil and its background, so there is no need to harp on it again and again,8221; he claims.
The NDA is seeking mandate on the stability plank, but hasn8217;t Laloo Yadav provided political stability to Bihar? 8220;There is a big difference between the two. He became complacent and promoted corruption after getting a clear mandate on a personal agenda. Our agenda is well-defined to provide a welfare State, but couldn8217;t be implemented because of political stability,8221; Fernandes says.
Is his party committed to form Vananchal this time as some of his colleagues had initially opposed the idea when in Government? 8220;Yes, we are for formation of Vananchal, provided the rest of Bihar is compensated 8212; through a grant of Rs 50,000 crore 8212; for the loss of resources to Vananchal area,8221; he claims.
