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Congress will demand President's rule in Gujarat at 'appropriate time'

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

Senior Congress leader Arjun Singh has underlined that his party would demand President's rule in Gujarat at the 'appropriate time' and refuted the allegation by the Sangh Parivar that party chief Sonia Gandhi had only visited Christian-dominated areas during her recent tour of the state.

Addressing a crowded press conference which was also attended by his senior party colleagues like Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Shivraj Patil, Arjun Singh pointed out that the issue of President's rule in Gujarat did not just depend on the Congress's demand. The central government also had to take a decision regarding it, he said, adding that his party would call for President's rule in the riot-torn state at the right time.

Asked whether he supported conversions, he said that India was a free, democratic country where conversions were allowed under the Constitution. But he pointed out that the Congress had rejected Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's appeal for a national debate on conversions because Vajpayee wanted to resort to a diversionary tactic and 'bury' the issue of communal violence against Christians.

While underscoring that the people of the country did not expect the prime minister to make a statement on something which was 'a breach of law', Arjun Singh said the Vajpayee government was trying to ensure that other issues over-shadowed the main issue regarding the attacks on Christians.

He also pointed out that the Sangh Parivar's allegation that Sonia Gandhi had only visited the Christian-dominated areas in Gujarat was false. He was supported in this contention by Ahmed Patel who said he was with the Congress chief when she visited all the affected areas.

On being asked whether his party favoured an all-party meeting on the issue of the attacks on Christians and conversions, he replied in the affirmative after his senior party colleague Pranab Mukherjee nodded in agreement. Arjun Singh also pointed out that preferably the National Integration Council, could help discuss the issue of the protection of minorities in the country.

Asked why his party was delaying demanding President's rule in Gujarat, he said, "First I want a reaction from the government and then I will speak."

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