From: desai@blsouth.bss.com (Hiren Desai)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian
Subject: INDIA NEWS I
Date: 14 Dec 92 17:23:45 GMT
Organization: BellSouth Telecommunications - Science and Technology


 * Note: The Complete Text of Prime Minister's Address to the nation
         on December 6, 1992 is included at the end of this article.

Source   : CGI
Date     : Dec 9, 1992
Country  : India

                             * * * * *

New Delhi - Dec 9: A general strike sponsored by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya
Janata Party in protest against the arrest of its senior leaders,
evoked mixed response across the country today with reports of sporadic
incidents of riots in some parts of West Bengal.
	The day long Bandh (Strike) was reported to be near total in
parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bombay, Ahmedabad and Jamshedpur. It was partial 
in other states.
	In the capital, banks and city bus services functioned normally while
shops in south, east and parts of west remained closed.

* Life paralyzed for the third straight day in Bombay

	Normal life was paralysed for the third straight day in Bombay
as the country's commercial capital observed a total bandh. Educational
institutions, Bombay Stock Exchange, Banks, Diamond, Bullion, oil seeds,
cotton and other principal markets were closed. Courts also did not function.
	Industrial production and port operations too were affected, as 
workers could not reach their places of work with the railways suspending
their suburban services.
	In Ahmedabad, the bundh had a good response. Municipal bus services
were affected in the city. Schools, colleges and banks remained closed.
	In Shimla, normal life was thrown out of gear due to the bundh.
Public transport buses remained off the road and the educational 
institutions remained closed. The situations was reported to be peaceful
throughout Haryana.
	Shops, business establishments and schools were closed in several
parts of Jammu region. Army was asked to standby for any possible
violence. Had was total in district of Kathua, Jammu and Udhampur, while
it was partial in Doda district of the region.
	The strike did not evoke any response in the Andaman and Nicobar
islands.

Both houses of Indian Parliament were adjourned for a week on Wednesday
to meet again on Dec 16.
	While the lower house was adjourned in the forenoon, the upper house,
was first adjourned till lunch and after till Dec sixteen to enable
parliamentarians return to their constituencies and help normalise the 
tense situation.
	When the Rajya Sabha met after lunch, Chairman, K.R.Narayanan, said
"I adjourn the house till Dec 16."
	Earlier lok sabha speaker Shivraj Patil, also managed to make a 
brief appeal to maintain peace and harmony amidst the din raised by the BJP
members protesting the arrest of their leaders. Patil then adjourned the
house, which did not transact any business for the third consecutive
day on wednesday.
	meanwhile, the non-BJP members of the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday  
requested a probe into the circumstances which led to attacks on journalists
in Ayodhya on Dec 6, while they were covering the Kar Seva at the disputed 
site.



* Prime Minister's Address to the Nation, Sunday Dec 6, 1992

      [Source: India's Permanent Mission at the United Nations - New York]


Fellow Countrymen:

I am speaking to you this evening under great threat that has been
posed to the institutions, principles and ideals on which the 
constitutional structure of our republic has been built. During the
struggle for freedom under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, we have
promised to ourself an India, free of exploitation, hunger and
pestilence, recognizing the right of every citizen to the fruits of
democracy and also has right to practice and preach his own religion
without any interference, this all was enshrined in our constitution
and the founding fathers of our country sanctified this in the written
constitution of India. In the country of the size and diversity like of
ours, it is only the concern and fear for the sensibilities of each
other which can ensure the smooth functioning of the institutions that
we have created. This is the only way to maintain peace and harmony
among the people of India. Whatever may be our differences on
political, social, economic issues, they have to be acted upon keeping
this wider concept in view. The delicate fabric of our nation woven
around democracy and secularism is the only anchor sheeth for our
country's existence.
	The country has witnessed in the last few years an attempt by
certain political parties, who have in pursuit of their power not been
able to exercise their strength and keep their actions within the
limitations of propriety, law and the demands of national integration.
They have used the differences involved in and around the Ram
Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute to excite communal passions and
utilise the same for political purposes. We have pleaded with the, we
have made our efforts to bring different people together in an effort
to resolve this matter amicably through peaceful negotiations. We have
gone to the fullest extent to create an atmosphere in the country which
will be conducive to this effort. We have posed to all the parties to
the dispute ways and means to get a judicial determination to this
problem. I see no other way in a democratic polity to determine matters
on which strong views are held on sides. I have personally done
whatever I could to help reach a negotiated settlement or a judicial
determination to this issue, and all democratic and secular forces have
helped in this effort. But I am sad to to state that the BJP-VHP
combine has not only failed to respond to my efforts but, as a matter
of fact gone about deliberately to not only part my efforts, but also
to mislead the nation about my intentions. What has happend today in
Ayodhya, where the Ram Janmabhoomi Babri Masjid structure has been
demolished, is a matter of shame and concern for all Indians. Each and
every one of us want, and I have stated so repeatedly that we must have
a grand temple to lord Rama built on Ayodhya. As a matter of fact,
people of all faiths in India are prepared to actively help in this.
The BJP-VHP combine have, however, continued to pursue a different line
because they felt that this is the only root that will carry them to
the seats of power. This is a betrayal of the nation and a
confrontation with all that is sacred to all Indian and a legacy which
we have all inherited and is a part of our national treasure. A great
affront has been caused to this. As the first servant as the people of
India, it is not only my duty but also my mandate to ensure that all
such communal forces who are out to confront the nation itself must be
met resolutely. We will go to any extent to preserve and protect
secularism and the democratic credentials of our nation. In this
onerous task, I seek the support and blessings of all the citizen of
this country. I would like to say very clearly that we shall no longer
suffer the machiavellian tactics of the communal forces of this
country. I appeal to all these misguided people who are assembled at
Ayodhya on the inspiration of persons who do not have the well being of
the national at heart, to disperse peacefully and let the law of the
land have full sway there. It is to achieve this that my government has
dismissed the government of U.P headed by Mr.Kalyan Singh, which has
totally failed in its primary duty, to which they have pledged
themselves, time and again, to protect the structure. I would like to
sound a note of warning to every one who has tried to help such
elements, who have put the peace and tranquility of the nation in
jeopardy that we shall not spare any action against them, in the
interest of the nation. 

I appeal to all of you to maintain calm, peace and harmony at this grave 
moment of crisis. We have faced many such situations in the past and have 
overcome them. We shall do this again with firm determination and conviction 
in the rightness of our path.

                               * E N D *
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