Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Tuesday evening speaking on the no-confidence motion introduced by the Congress-led opposition against his government said he could not fathom the reasons behind it.

"I have seen many no-confidence motions but nothing like this," he said.

"A no-trust motion is brought when a government is on the verge of collapse or to keep it on its toes. But I wonder why such a motion has been moved now when there is no question of our government breaking nor do you intend to break it," he said in a spirited speech.

He added two days of debate have not explained the opposition's reasons for introducing the no-confidence motion.

Starting his speech, Vajpayee first congratulated Speaker Manohar Joshi for his efficient conduct of the debate in the Lok Sabha.

Complete Coverage of the No-confidence Motion

Referring to the nine charges of the opposition, he asked, "Where is the proof?" Vajpayee said leader of the opposition Sonia Gandhi's charge that the government has endangered internal security or jeopardised national defence was not acceptable.

"I have been member of Parliament since 1957, and there has never been two views on foreign policy," he said referring to the opposition's strident criticism of his government's foreign policy. He expressed regret the country was being sought to be divided by creating misunderstandings on the country's foreign policy.

The prime minister took exception to the allegation that the government had 'mortgaged' its foreign policy saying if it was true India would have sent its troops to Iraq.

"Do you think India is so cheap that anyone can mortgage it?" he asked in an aggressive tone.  "How have we weakened national security? Doesn't the opposition need to provide proof before making such charges?" Vajpayee asked.

He said despite numerous attempts by the opposition to create hurdles for his coalition government, it has survived for five years. "Now the Congress Party is in search of friends," he said pointing at the party's efforts to cobble up a coalition. He said the people have faith in his multi-party coalition government.

He slammed the opposition for the language that it used during the debate. "It seems the opposition kept a word bank open before it and used choicest of words... incompetent, insensitive, irresponsible. Is this the kind of language to be used?" he asked.

"It is a peculiar thing that words like charge sheet are used by one party against another and ultimatum is being given. This is not a good thing," Vajpayee said.

Vajpayee also took exception to Gandhi's assertion that his government had 'betrayed' the mandate of the people.

Asking who has made opposition the judge in this regard, the prime minister said the government would be there till the people want.

"The trial of strength will be there in the assembly elections," he said. One should, he added, never lose sight of dignity and decorum as abuses will not solve problems.

He said in the rat race of competitive politics, one should not question each other's patriotism.

The prime minister wondered over Sonia's charge that the government was attempting to destroy the public sector.

He said the opposition is not joyed over the revival of the Steel Authority of India Limited and was projecting a doomsday picture, which was not good.

Striking a lighter note, the prime minister said the one good thing to have come out of the no-trust motion was the end of Union Defence Minister George Fernandes' boycott by opposition parties. He said the commission probing the Tehelka scam had neither questioned Fernandes nor charged him with any wrongdoing.

CPM member Somnath Chatterjee intervened at this point and asked Vajpayee: "When George Fernandes had undertaken not to get into the Cabinet till he was exonerated, why was he taken in?"

Vajpayee tried to defend his colleague saying he had taken the decision to induct Fernandes.

Describing Fernandes as a freedom fighter and veteran trade unionist, Vajpayee said, "To level charges against him without any proof and not allowing him to speak was injustice, community injustice."

Asserting that baseless allegations were made against Fernandes, he said it was the prime minister's prerogative to appoint a Minister though 'he (Fernandes) did not want to come back'.

Vajpayee said Fernandes had boosted the morale of the security forces by visiting forward and high altitude camps.

He complimented Fernandes for 'tolerating the insults and boycott'.

With inputs from agencies