Vajpayee hasn’t sealed my lips, says Pramod Mahajan

“There are no instructions from the PM to me about not meeting the press. I am hurt that no one called me to ask why I did not meet the media yesterday and day before,” he said, describing the reports as hypothetical. He had not met the media in the last two days because he had other engagements, he explained, adding that he would continue to meet the press regularly until the Budget session began onWednesday.

Reacting to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s statement that Pakistan would give a “resolute response” if India indulged in any “misadventure”, Mahajan said that India was not in the habit of indulging in misadventures, “so this kind of warning has nothing to do with us.”

“No one should be afraid of peace-loving India. We are interested in good relations with our neighbours,” he said. He denied that the government was softening its stand towards Pakistan and China after its initial hawkish posture.

Asked what India’s conditions were to sign the CTBT, Mahajan refused to enlighten the press. “Our objections can only be discussed with world leaders. It cannot be done through the media,” he retorted. He denied that Russia was pressurising India to sign the CTBT.

“We have a very, very longstanding friendship with Russia that has withstood all the ups and downs. I don’t think Russia is pressurising India on anything,” he said. Russian President Boris Yeltzin had a 10-minute telephonicconversation with the PM on Thursday.