NEW DELHI, 8 June 2004 — The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government yesterday pledged itself to preserving, protecting and promoting secular values and enforcing the law without fear or favor and to deal with all obscurantist and fundamentalist elements that seek to disturb social amity and peace.

“It is a matter of serious concern that forces of communalism have been able to vitiate the atmosphere in the country leading to outbreak of riots, the most gruesome face of which was witnessed recently in Gujarat. My Government is determined to combat such forces,” said President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam addressing the first joint session of Parliament after the April-May nationwide election.

Abolition of POTA

Kalam said the government would repeal the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act, or POTA. “My government is concerned about the misuse of POTA in the recent past. While there can be no compromise on the fight against terrorism, the government is of the view that the existing laws could adequately handle the menace of terrorism. The government, therefore, proposes to repeal POTA”, he said.

On Ayodhya, he said the government will await the verdict of the courts while encouraging negotiations between parties to the dispute for an amicable settlement, which, in turn, must receive legal sanction.

He, however, made it clear that a settlement through negotiations must receive legal sanction. He said the government was also committed to implement the Protection of Places of Worship Act of 1992.

The president said the first general election of this millennium reflected the firm conviction of the people in the democratic process of change.

“The outcome of these elections is indicative of people’s yearning for inclusiveness — economic, social and cultural — and their rejection of the forces of divisiveness and intolerance.

“The verdict is for establishing the rule of law and repairing our secular fabric. This government is committed to providing the right ambience for fulfilling the aspirations implicit in the people’s mandate,” he said.

Textbook Revision

The president also said steps would be taken to remove “the communalization of the school syllabus that has taken place in recent years.”

The Congress-led coalition government has vowed to revamp the school textbooks that had been injected with a Hindu slant during the previous government.

Critics said the BJP had sought to glorify Hindu rulers in history books while denigrating the Mogul rule. Some textbooks also suggested that Muslims and Christians were foreigners, the critics said.

“Academic excellence and professional competence will be the sole criteria for all appointments to bodies such as the Indian Council for Historical Research, Indian Council for Social Science Research, University Grants Commission, National Council for Educational Research and Training, etc.,” Kalam said, referring to political appointments to the posts during the National Democratic Alliance regime.

“My government is aware of the systematic erosion of autonomy of our institutions of repute in recent years. My government will ensure that all institutions of higher learning and professional education get back the autonomy that they enjoyed earlier,” the president said.

Former Human Resources Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi issued a notice in February asking all Indian Institutes of Management to reduce their fee by as much as 80 percent to allow students from weaker sections to study in the prestigious institutes.

The move created a furor and the managements and students resented the sharp reduction of fee, saying it would create a negative image of the institutes.

Kalam, however, said in his address that the government would ensure professional education to poor by increasing the supply of loan scholarships and re-finance through banks, besides providing loans to students at affordable rates.

Job Reservation

Laying emphasis on labor reforms and job creation, Kalam said the government would consider reserving jobs for the scheduled castes and tribes in the private sector.

“My government will initiate a dialogue with political parties, industry and other bodies on how best the private sector can fulfill the aspirations of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes,” he said.

Laying down the agenda of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government, the president said job reservations in government, including those related to promotions, would also be fulfilled in a time-bound manner. “To codify all policies on reservations, appropriate legislation will be enacted,” he added.

The government promised to give firm support to the Palestinians but said it valued the relationship with Israel which warmed dramatically under the previous administration.

Kalam said India would give a “fresh thrust” to its “traditional ties” in the Middle East. “My government will continue to fully support the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people.

“Our relations with Israel, which have developed on the basis of mutually beneficial cooperation, are important, but this in no way dilutes our principled support for the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people,” he said.

— Additional input from agencies