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Hegde blasts Congress for propaganda over Ram temple

Union Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hegde today accused the Congress of indulging in a "vicious propaganda" that the Bharatiya Janata Party had permitted construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

Participating in a 'meet the press' programme at the Bangalore Press Club, he said the Congress had raked up the issue as it did not have any issue right now to fight against the BJP-led government.

The Lok Shakthi founder-leader asserted that BJP president Kushabhau Thakre, Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and Home Minister L K Advani had made it clear that the temple was not being built at the disputed site. The temple would not be constructed till the Supreme Court gave its verdict or a consensus was arrived at by the leaders of different communities, he added.

Asked about his party's stand on the issue, Hegde said, "I will oppose construction of the temple unless the dispute is resolved by the Supreme Court or a consensus is reached by the parties concerned."

On the economic and trade sanctions by the United States and other developed countries following the nuclear tests by the country, Hegde said the nuclear blasts by Pakistan had reduced the intensity of the reaction against India.

Admitting that the economic sanctions might have some impact, he said the trade sanctions would not succeed as the United States's economic growth and prosperity depended on trade. The trade lobby in the US was powerful enough to work against the sanctions. The US had imposed similar sanctions against China in the past, but it had been largely diluted, he added.

On the pressure of the nuclear club against India, he said it was akin to the apartheid that was practised in South Africa in the past.

He said India was committed to total disarmament and the prime minister had made this clear to the world after the Pokhran tests.

Defending the Union Budget for 1998-99, Hegde said corrective measures had been taken immediately on certain hikes such as increase in customs duty and in the price of petrol and urea so that it would not affect the economy.

Replying to a question, he said the Budget was not the outcome of muddled thinking. If the country went in the direction as predicted by the Budget, things should improve by the end of the year.

He said the economy, which was affected by the happenings in the South East Asian region during the last three years, was expected to improve and the exports, which had been languishing, should show a positive sign this year.

Hegde also expressed confidence that the rupee, which plunged to a new low, would recover and stabilise once the exports increased.

UNI

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