NDA stands by PM

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 26. The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today received the unstinted support of the National Democratic Alliance for his Government's past, present and future stance in relation to the global fight against terrorism. He took the opportunity to tell the ruling party leaders that maintaining communal harmony and unity was an urgent need in the face of heightened threat perception following the terrorist strikes in the United States.

Later, the Prime Minister met the President, Mr. K.R. Narayanan, for an hour to discuss with him and brief him about developments related to the September 11 terrorist strikes against the U.S. This was their first meeting after the strikes. The External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, joined in the discussions later to discuss with Mr. Narayanan the diplomatic initiatives taken by India.

The NDA meeting was focussed on internal security. The Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, urged the State Governments to be vigilant and step up security. Perhaps, the Chief Ministers of the border States should be taken into confidence separately, even as there was general agreement that nothing should be said or done that could in any way give the impression that the Government's determination to join the global war against terrorism was a fight against Islam or biased against any community.

In fact, at tomorrow's meeting with the Opposition parties the Prime Minister is expected to appeal to them to help maintain communal harmony and not to use this as an issue for scoring political points.

A unanimous resolution adopted by the meeting today said: ``The National Democratic Alliance supports unreservedly and wholeheartedly the Prime Minister and the Government on the steps taken so far, are being taken now and will have to be taken in future in the global fight against terrorism.''

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