SAD mum on N-tests

TARN TARAN, May 31: An election meeting in support of SAD candidate for the Tarn Taran Lok Sabha seat Tarlochan Singh Tur was held here toda...

TARN TARAN, May 31: An election meeting in support of SAD candidate for the Tarn Taran Lok Sabha seat Tarlochan Singh Tur was held here today where leaders of SAD and BJP addressed different issues.

While BJP leaders Madan Lal Khurana and Balramji Dass Tandon devoted their speeches to nuclear tests conducted by India, SAD leaders did not touch upon the issue, making the performance of the SAD-BJP government the key issue.Defending the BJP decision of not taking its allies in confidence on nuclear explosions, Khurana said secrecy was required to avoid outside pressures before carrying out the tests.

The Union Minister revealed that former President of India R. Venkataraman, in a communication to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, had endorsed the nuclear tests. Venkataraman had mentioned in the letter that when he was the Defence Minister in 1983, the then government was all set to conduct nuclear tests, but had bowed to international pressure at the nick of time.

Khurana said only those countries who did not want to see India as a self-reliant and powerful nation were making a hue and cry over the tests.8220;We did not want the world to underestimate our power. So for the sake of country8217;s pride we had to go nuclear,8221; he said.

Khurana said the government was ready to dump nuclear and other deadly arsenal provided other countries also did the same.Appealing to the voters to ensure a overwhelming victory for Tur, Khurana assured people that interests of Punjab would be well taken care of and a prosperous Punjab would emerge in the coming years.

Attempting to evoke Sikh sentiments to gain support for Tur, he censured the Congress, holding it responsible for the 1984 riots.Khurana said when he was the Chief Minister of Delhi, he had brought those involved in rioting to the courts whereas the Congress had always protected them.

Addressing the meeting, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal also criticised the policies of Congress, saying it had brought Punjab to the brink of poverty. The joint and consistent efforts of the SAD-BJP government were bring back the glory to Punjab, he said.

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Badal invited Home Minister and Defence Minister to visit border areas and take a first-hand view of the problems of the people living there.Sukhbir Singh Badal, Union Minister of State for Industry, said that policies of the Congress had put India8217;s name in the list of the world8217;s poorest countries.

Local Bodies Minister Balramji Dass Tandon, Higher Education Minister Manjit Singh Calcutta and Co-operation Minister Ranjit Singh Brahmpura also addressed the rally.

A large number of SAD-BJP workers and members of the Istri Akali Dal, Youth Akali Dal were also present.