In Chhattisgarh, Vajpayee talks Balco

Two days before the campaign ends, Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee came calling in this Chhattisgarh town — where his government privatise...

Two days before the campaign ends, Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee came calling in this Chhattisgarh town — where his government privatised profit-making Balco three years ago — and accused the Congress of creating serious hurdles in the country’s development.

Vajpayee said: ‘‘Yeh maatam ke masiha har waqt rotey rehte hain. Har kam mein tang khinchte ki koshish karte hain. Yeh to desh ka manobal todne ka prayas kar rahe hain (These prophets of sorrow have always been weeping, trying to create hurdles. It is an attempt to demoralise the nation).’’

Vajpayee hit back at Congress president Sonia Gandhi for her charges of non-performance and PSU sell-out which she levelled in her meetings in Chhattisgarh last week. ‘‘When the country is marching ahead and the whole world is praising our development, Sonia Gandhi is not prepared to accept this fact,’’ he said.

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Reaching here minutes after India won the Rawalpindi Test match, the PM also used the opportunity to reiterate his resolve to improve ties with Pakistan. ‘‘I am optimistic about our relations with Pakistan,’’ he said, adding that even Pakistan doesn’t want war with India.

Vajpayee, who spoke for almost 35 minutes in scorching heat, asserted that the Balco disinvestment policy was not aimed at slashing jobs but added he has been just informed about problems faced by the workers after its takeover by the new management. ‘‘It’s the responsibility of the new management (Sterlite group) to take care of the workers’ interest. Already a committee has been set up on this issue,’’ Vajpayee said.

To woo the Adivasis, who form 32 per cent of the state’s population, Vajpayee promised to give land ownership rights. He also promised to bring four major state highways under Pradhan Mantri Bharat Joro project and expansion of new railway lines in Chhattisgarh.