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'No discrimination has taken place'

'It is unfortunate that certain political parties have made unsubstantiated allegations about discrimination, on the basis of caste and religion, in the relief and rehabilitation activities in Gujarat,' Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said in a statement on Saturday.

I wish to express my sincere thanks to the people of all the states, the NRI community and the international community for their outstanding contribution in the relief and rehabilitation activities in Gujarat after the devastating earthquake of January 26. The people and the government of Maharashtra was among the first to respond to the calamity in neighbouring Gujarat. Mumbai is home to a large population of Gujarati-speaking people, especially those belonging to Kutch. All sections of this cosmopolitan city participated spontaneously in the effort to mobilise relief for the people of Gujarat.

Experience of the relief and rehabilitation activities in Gujarat since January 26 shows that the initial problems of coordination have been largely sorted out. The state government has been managing all the official and non-governmental efforts satisfactorily. The Centre has been monitoring the situation on a daily basis. I am happy that the state government is speedily evolving a plan for both the temporary and permanent rehabilitation of the quake-affected people. The recently constituted national committee on disaster management will have its first meeting in New Delhi tomorrow.

It is unfortunate that certain political parties have made unsubstantiated allegations about discrimination, on the basis of caste and religion, in the relief and rehabilitation activities in Gujarat. The evidence available with the Centre shows that no such discrimination has taken place. India's past experience at all times of natural calamities testifies to a strong spirit of social solidarity, in which all differences on caste, religious and political lines are dissolved in collective humanitarian endeavour. Many such inspiring instances have also been reported in the aftermath of the earthquake in Gujarat.

Nevertheless, I assure that the government would seriously look into any allegation of discrimination if it is backed up by sufficient evidence.

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