POTO draconian: Sonia

By Javed M. Ansari

NEW DELHI, OCT. 30. It wasn't exactly smooth sailing for the Government at the all-party meeting. It got a taste of what was in store on the new anti-terrorism bill with almost all the Opposition parties attacking it.

The Congress party drew the Government's attention to the effect the bombing and the civilian casualties were having on the people. ``We have for weeks been witnessing the terrible pictures of civilians and children suffering, and of Red Cross installations being hit... these are causing great concern and anguish amongst the people, especially the minorities,'' said the Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Sonia Gandhi. She also pointed out that in the Islamic world the current campaign in Afghanistan was being viewed as a campaign against Muslims, and called for special efforts to explain the reality to the people.

On whether the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, should meet Gen. Musharraf, Ms. Gandhi said her party had welcomed the dialogue and that the door of negotiations should always be left open. ``But we have made it clear that whenever the dialogue takes place, the interest of the nation must be kept foremost in mind.'' Ms. Gandhi also indicated that her party would oppose the Government move to enact the new anti terrorist law. ``We are totally opposed to it, its draconian ordinance. Aren't the laws that we have sufficient?'' she asked.

The CPI(M) described today's all-party meeting as an ``exercise in tokenism'' and minced no words in criticising it. ``This was merely an exercise in tokenism,'' said Mr. Somnath Chatterjee. He said the whole exercise was aimed at showing the world that the Prime Minister was consulting the Opposition before leaving for his foreign tour. Mr. Chatterjee said the Government had little to offer and that the Opposition was more forthcoming than the Government.

Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav of the SP said he had told the Prime Minister that destroying Afghanistan would not bring about an end to terrorism. He said his party supported the fight against terrorism, but it had to be fought worldwide, including in Kashmir.

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