The real face of secularism came out in the open after the recent elections in the Gujarat, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said on Wednesday.
The Gujarat elections will not change the national political scenario, but concepts like secularism were now being defined correctly, Vajpayee said.
He made these remarks in an interview to the Dainik Bhaskar daily on the occasion of his 78th birthday.
He said secularism had always remained a slogan and its meaning and definition was never really debated.
Referring to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi launching her poll campaign in Gujarat after visiting the Ambaji temple, Vajpayee said, "We remain hardcore secularists for 364 days in a year and we have no objections if on the 365th day an election campaign is launched after praying at a temple."
Vajpayee said the "energy" generated after the Gujarat elections should be used in a balanced manner to help protect the values in life.
Regarding corruption in judiciary, Vajpayee said the government was contemplating measures to ensure that the judiciary discharged its functions properly.
"We always thought that corruption would never enter judiciary. The government will take necessary steps as some reports in this regard are coming to light," Vajpayee said.
If necessary, the Constitution would be amended, he said adding that discussions were also underway to set up a National Judicial Commission.
On divestment, Vajpayee said there were some problems but he did not think these were insurmountable.
Vajpayee said that taking everyone along in a coalition government made it difficult for the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government to take "hard decisions".
"But, at the same time, the NDA government has completed three years in office successfully and it has been able to tell its constituents that the future of the country is safe in its hands," he said.
On reports of problems being posed for the government by the BJP allies and the Sangh Parivar, Vajpayee said he was "more disturbed about stories about the internal squabbles".