NEW DELHI, 1 July 2004 — Countering those who have dubbed him as the “invisible prime minister,” Manmohan Singh yesterday rejected outright the BJP-led opposition’s demand for removal of tainted ministers from his Cabinet.

The premier, hurling a similar charge against the BJP, said: “This is not the first time that ministers who have been charged have held on to their portfolios. I think the previous government itself had several (of them).”

Rejecting the opposition’s stand, he said: “Well, I think, there are compulsions of coalition politics. The people of India have given a verdict. You cannot deprive large sections of people they represent.”

He made these comments at Rashtrapati Bhavan after the presentation of Padma awards by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

Manmohan hoped that the opposition will not disrupt parliamentary proceedings as it had during the first session of the Lok Sabha, with better sense prevailing.

On his keeping a low profile and thus being dubbed as “invisible prime minister,” Manmohan said that the government should be judged by what it did and not what it said. He asserted: “We take our job very seriously.”

BJP, meanwhile, is not going to backtrack from its demand on the tainted ministers. The party said yesterday that it will continue its agitation inside and outside the Parliament and will boycott the budget presentation by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad.

“There is no change in the strategy regarding the agitation for the removal of tainted ministers. However, what type of strategy will be adopted would be decided in consultation with other partners. The boycott of Railway Budget has figured in party discussions,” BJP President M Venkaiah Naidu said after a meeting with leader of the opposition L.K. Advani.

While BJP is clear about its strategy against the ruling government, it remains confused about its own camp.

Extremist groups within and those associated with the Sangh Parivar hold BJP’s deviation from the Hindutva agenda responsible for the party’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections.

The hard-liners are further perturbed by BJP not referring to the Hindutva-factor and the Ayodhya-issue in the resolution adopted recently at its executive meeting in Bombay.

Meanwhile, in Delhi, the Liberhan commission, constituted 11 years ago to probe into the demolition of Babri Masjid concluded hearing of arguments of all sides yesterday. It is likely to give its report “very soon.”

The Liberhan Commission gave permission yesterday to the center’s newly appointed counsel P. P. Malhotra to file additional written arguments on July 20.

The commission headed by Justice Manmohan Singh Liberhan has examined 99 witnesses, including the former P. V. Narasimha Rao, BJP leaders L. K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, Congress leaders late S. B. Chavan, Arjun Singh, VHP leader Ashok Singhal and well known journalist Mark Tully.

While the BJP told the commission that it was against demolition, which was unfortunate and uncontrolled, the RSS claimed that being a nationalist and patriotic organization it wanted to avoid “confrontation of communities.” RSS also said that it was always in favor of amicable solution of the dispute.

The then UP Chief Minister Kalyan Singh (BJP) blamed Pakistani infiltrators for demolishing the mosque.