Vajpayee chides Shiv Sena

On Sunday night, a group of Sena workers led by local shakha pramukh Vinayak Raut had raised slogans againstPakistan as well as against Ghulam Ali, prompting the organisers to abandon the programme at a five-star hotel in North-West Mumbai. The contention of the Sena activists was that since Pakistan has taken a firm anti-India stand on all the platforms, they will not allow the artistes from that country to perform in Maharashtra.

Subsequently, Vajpayee remarked that the cultural and sports policy vis-a-vis Pakistan will have to be discussed with other political parties and a consensus decision will have to be taken over the row. quot;When I was External Affairs Minister during the Janata Party rule, the relations between Pakistan and India were very cordial. Now the situation has changed completely. They have created several hurdles in holding a dialogue. Now they want to discuss only the Kashmir issue. It is my firm policy that if at all a dialogue has to be initiated it will be on the basis of the Dhaka resolution. We will not discuss one or the other subject in isolation,quot;Vajpayee added.

On the row over theSrikrishna Commission report, Vajpayee said a delegation led by Sena leader Subhash Desai urged him to reject the report on the ground that if it was published, it would lead to fresh violence in the metropolis.

Vajpayee said the Srikrishna Commission had submitted its report to the State Government. As per the provisions of the Commission of Inquiry Act, it is binding on the State Government to table the report in both the Houses of the State Legislature within six months of its submission. quot;I hope that the Sena-BJP government will abide by the provisions of law and table the report as required under the Commission of Inquiry Act,quot; Vajpayee added.

Referring to the memorandum submitted by a highlevel delegation led by Chief Minister Manohar Joshi and opposition leaders Madhukar Pichad and Chhagan Bhujbal over the Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary row, Vajpayee said he has asked the Chief Ministers of both the states to resolve the dispute amicably. quot;If they are not able to resolve, I will not hesitate tointervene to find a solution to the 42-year-old dispute,quot; Vajpayee added.

Vajpayee said the delegation felt that if there was no solution to the dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka, a fresh opinion poll should be held in the disputed areas to resolve the row.

Reiterating that there was absolutely no threat to his government and he was firmly in saddle, Vajpayee said he will implement the national agenda in letter and spirit. quot;It is the policy of my government that charge-sheeted ministers will have to resign from the cabinet immediately. Accordingly, both Buta Singh and S R Muthiah had to resign after charge-sheets were filed against them in the court,quot; Vajpayee said.

On the the charges levelled against Urban Development Minister Ram Jethmalani and Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hegde by AIADMK leader Jayalalitha, Vajpayee said both of them have given him a comprehensive statement against the charges.

quot;I have sought legal opinion on the charges against them and the explanation given by Jethmalaniand Hegde,quot; he added.

Vajpayee said the moment a charge-sheet was filed against Himachal Pradesh Minister Sukh Ram in a corruption case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation, he asked him to step down.