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Sonia calls for retaining parliamentary democracy

Congress president Sonia Gandhi today cautioned people against the threat to the parliamentary form of government from 'cultural nationalists'.

Speaking at her party's delegates' conference in Jaipur, she said, ''We have to preserve and defend the multifarious character of our culture, the most important facet of our country.''

Without naming any party, she said some parties wanted ''to give only one colour to our culture. They do not want a multi-cultural, multi-faceted country.''

The parliamentary form of government is a symbol of this pluralism and guards the heritage. ''But now there is a threat to this form of government itself,'' she said.

Gandhi called upon Congressmen to remain vigilant and work against such threats to the country.

On the Ayodhya issue, she said the Congress was firm that the case could be settled only in the court of law. Everybody should wait for the court verdict in the matter, she said.

''It has to be ensured that violation of Constitution and the court does not take place.''

The Congress president hoped the Women's Reservation (amendment) Bill would be tabled in Parliament at the earliest. The Congress had ensured reservation for women in panchayats and civic bodies, she recalled.

UNI

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