PM preaches new MPs on code of conduct

NEW DELHI, OCT 23: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was a new avtar at BJP's Parliamentary Party meeting on Friday: as a preacher serm...

NEW DELHI, OCT 23: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was a new avtar at BJP8217;s Parliamentary Party meeting on Friday: as a preacher sermoning the newly elected MPs on the Code of Conduct.

Don8217;t rent out your Government accommodation, don8217;t sell your air tickets, gas and telephone coupons and never accept a lift in an industrialist8217;s car, Vajpayee reportedly told the newly-elected MPs. He appealed them to exercise caution as such mal-practices by a handful members tarnish the image of the entire party. Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani too appealed them to strictly adhere to the prescribed Code of Conduct for MPs.

Vajpayee termed the decision to hike diesel prices as 8220;painful8221; but said the Government had to take it in absence of any other option. He appealed the MPs to explain to the people the rationale behind this decision by the Government and tell them the reasons which made it take this extreme step.

BJP General Secretary M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters that Vajpayee said that people have giventhe NDA a clear mandate and the Government was therefore committed to fulfill the promises made by it. Responding to some members8217; queries about reservation in promotions to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the Prime Minister said the matter was sub-judice.

To another question regarding the creation of Uttarakhand, Vajpayee said it would be taken up in due course since the ongoing Lok Sabha session was a brief one. Minister for Petroleum, Ram Naik gave a detailed explanation for the hike in price of diesel saying that the oil pool deficit was Rs 4,000 crore and if the present price had continued, the deficit would have touched Rs 10,000 crore affecting the fiscal health of the country adversely.

Naidu said the party was happy to fulfill its promise of bringing the guilty to book in Bofors kickback case after chargesheet was filed in the case. 8220;The law is taking its own course and there is no political interference whatsoever in the case,8221; he however asserted. 8220;We are happy that during our party8217;srule, the case is being taken to its logical conclusion,8221; Naidu added.