I have told Shri Narasimha Rao that whenever he feels that his party is comfortable, he could tell me and I would hand over the resignation. I did not want to pick up quarrels. He is also sitting in this very same House now. I told Shri Kesri also not to mention frequently about the withdrawal of support; whenever he feels that his party is comfortable to come to power, he could tell me and I could hand over the resignation. But why do they make this sort of an allegation against me? He could have told me, "Shri Gowda, we have decided to withdraw the support." If he had said it very gentlemanly, I could have told my Members not to pursue this matter and that we would close this chapter.
Firstly, did I ask for their support? They only took a decision on the 12th - the Congress (I) Working Committee took a decision spontaneously when no one approached them and without any one's request - to support us. On that day, they told the nation that they would not allow a communal party to come to power. But today what did they do? What is the outcome of their decision?
Now, they are searching for a new leader! Do you want to divide the United Front? When they are telling me not to divide the Congress, what moral right have they got to divide my United Front? They can tell straightway that because of such and such circumstances, they were doing like that. Yes, Shri Vajpayee had said that we would go for polls. Who is responsible for this? If they have got the moral courage, they should tell that in this House. They should not play dirty politics. Do they want to approach everybody individually? He says that now the United Front is over and that he would try to collect it individually; he would attract it, as if he is a magnetic force and the United Front is ready to be attracted by that magnetic force.
Let us accept - if he has got the moral courage - to go before the people. They can tell them what they have done. They can tell them that Deve Gowda's Government is not a secular Government, it is an incompetent Government. They can go to the people. Why do they want to search for a new leader? They search today, as if a new quality was found in the Defence Minister.
Have you found some new qualities in my Defence Minister? You want to split us. That is not possible. We have understood your strategy. It is a political strategy. We have understood that.
Let us accept with all sincerity that you have committed a mistake. If I have done a mistake, let the people punish me. I am prepared to go for the ultimate - political judgement of the people of this country. Yes, I can understand the financial burden of conducting elections so frequently. I can understand as to what would be the financial liability for this. But the issue has been forced. You have forced the issue to go for elections. We were not going for elections. Now, you want to hang my head calling me an incompetent Prime Minister and a Prime Minister who is not secular. Yes, all right. But you want to search for somebody else.
I have met Shri Balasaheb Thackery. You said that I was going to work as an ambassador to him - Shri Antulay. Shri Vajpayee, I can make a political speech also. You want to tell as to how to function in a coalition. I can say what happened to the Mayawati Government in Uttar Pradesh one year back. Do not talk about political morality. Every political party in this country is more interested in how best they could come to power... (Interruptions)
Yes, I fought in Karnataka to become the Chief Minister. I am not a political sanyasi. But I have never, never aspired and made any ambition to come to this office. Never. I am not going to hide the facts. If all of you are sincere, then try it.
We are one political force. Which one of our Parties is not a national Party? Is Janata Dal not a national Party? Is the CPI not a national Party? Is the CPI(M) not a national Party? The BJP is a national Party and has got influence in four to five States. Without the Badal group what is the BJP in Punjab? Shri Chandra Shekhar, please tell, what the reality is? You want to save your sincere friends. But there is no need. When we are appealing to all sections, you do not worry because you have got that much of an attachment. There is nothing to bother. If the destiny is there for me to rise again from the dust in the Indian politics, I would come back with the same force. That is what I want to prove.
I am never afraid of anybody who wants to play a bullying politics. I may be a soft man outwardly but if I start fighting then I have already shown in Karnataka as to what I am. Now, I am going to show what Deve Gowda is with the support of my United Front. Somebody wants to crack it. It is because if it cracks then only they can push through as they are the only alternative Party. But we would not allow that crack. You also unite and fight. Shri Rajesh Pilot, as a sincere Party worker if you try to defend then I have no objection. Somebody was asking you as to what was the letter that you had written. I know that you have got that courage and you have said that but I do not want those details.
Now, under what circumstances did I become the Prime Minister? On the one side there was the CBI enquiry... (Interruptions)
On the one side, CBI inquiry. ... (Interruptions)
COL. RAO RAM SINGH (MAHENDERGARH): What is the inquiry? ... (Interruptions)
SHRI H.D. DEVE GOWDA: There are several cases. I do not want to go into details. I have all the details. ... (Interruptions) I have not ordered a single case for the CBI inquiry. I have not ordered a single case against any political leader in the last ten months. All these cases were the previous issues. ... (Interruptions)
COL. RAO RAM SINGH (MAHENDERGARH): What is that Shri Rajesh Pilot's letter, Mr. Prime Minister?
SHRI H.D. DEVE GOWDA: I do not want to go in detail about each case. I want to tell this august House and through this august House to the nation that I have not passed orders about anybody or to hold an inquiry or to conduct an inquiry by the CBI in the last ten months. But, I have not interfered. I can say this much that I have not interfered. That is what has been expected by the House. I have not interfered in any case, including that of my own Chief Minister. My own Party's prestige is involved here. Whether the things are moving in the right direction or not, I do not want to comment on that. I must be fair. Nobody from Congress made any influence on me about the CBI inquiry. I am not going to say that.
30th, 30th and 30th. What is that 30th? And some papers write 4th. 4th and 30th. 4th and 30th. ... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: What is 4th?
... (Interruptions)
SHRI H.D. DEVE GOWDA: When the matter is in the court, I do not want to give details. I will stop at that stage. ... (Interruptions) As the matter is before the Court, I do not want to give any particulars or details about this Court issue. Before that, Government will go. What is that I can do? Under what circumstances, have I been asked to shoulder the responsibility of the office of Prime Minister?
When I went to see Shri Narasimha Rao, he said, `you have accepted a very stupendous task. It is very difficult'. With his experience he has said that. He has given that advice. I agree. I totally agree. There is no problem with my friendly parties. Yes, there is no cohesiveness. I too agree. That is one of the allegations. There is no cohesiveness among the Ministers. In the last five years, was there any cohesiveness, Mr. Rajesh Pilot?
SHRI RAJESH PILOT (DAUSA): I did not point out that. ... (Interruptions)
SHRI H.D. DEVE GOWDA: You were the Minister of State for Internal Security in the Ministry of Home. I do not want to go into details. Just I will leave it at stage. ... (Interruptions)
Hon. Speaker has also made that remark. I accept it. Sitting in that high office, if he says that, we have to bow our heads. He advised me. With one party when you witnessed such type of things, I have to manage 13 parties. You must give some grace marks. ... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please order now.
SHRI H.D. DEVE GOWDA: Shri George Fernandes is sitting there. He is my old friend. Today I expected that you would speak but you gave an opportunity to Shri Nitish Kumar. You do not want to attack your old friend. At least you have shown that much of courtesy.
On the one side, Sir, there is the Enforcement Directorate. Sir, today, the judiciary has given the verdict that the investigative agency should directly report to the Courts. If somebody suspects me, what can I do? Shri Sontosh Mohan Dev must advise me. On the one side, the media says that Deve Gowda has visited the house of Narasimha Rao for 28 times; Deve Gowda has visited the former Chief Justice's house at mid night, 2 o'clock. In the last ten months, I enjoyed all these things. ...(Interruptions)
AN HON. MEMBER: Why did you enjoy? ...(Interruptions)
SHRI H.D. DEVE GOWDA: There are no tears for your withdrawal. After the test is over, let us assemble here, in the Central Hall for an exchange of our views. Let all the three teams go for the test.
Sir, all have agreed for passing the Vote on Account and the Finance Bill on the 21st. Do not make any political gimmicks again in these ten days. Do not try that. I will also honestly give a word that there is no need for them. Enough is enough.
A Prime Minister of this country, whoever it may be, when once the honour and dignity of that Office goes, should not continue as a Prime Minister under the mercy of anybody. What is that we have to discuss again? With what courage do you want to go outside, Shri Gujral? Somebody wants to name you. You are the senior most leader. I accept it but not under this circumstance. ...(Interruptions)
THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI I.K. GUJRAL): I fully agree with you.
SHRI H.D. DEVE GOWDA: A Prime Minister of this country who represents 950 million people must have at least certain dignity and certain honour to represent the nation as a Prime Minister when he goes outside, not with this type of, what is called, lease of life. I do not want that. There is no need. I appeal to all my colleagues that I have not betrayed you. I have never betrayed the nation. I have never given an occasion for a single corruption charge to be levelled against my Government in the last ten months. Go before the people with all the courage and conviction. Money is not the criteria. I have not begged any industrialist to allow any scam during these ten months.
Sir, I have got the belief; I am a believer in destiny.
Lastly, I would like to quote Gitanjali. This is the first time I am quoting. Shri Chidambaram has always used to quote Thirukkural in Tamil.
This is from Gitanjali.
"Leave this chanting and singing and telling of beads!
Whom dost thou worship in this lonely dark corner of a temple with doors all shut?
Open thine eyes and see thy God is not before thee!"
God will not accept this.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER : Mr.Gadhvi, you do not have to demonstrate your knowledge.
... (Interruptions)
SHRI H.D. DEVE GOWDA: Hon. Members,I am only speaking for myself.
( Interruptions) Please wait. Do not be in such a hurry... (Interruptions)
(Interruptions)
"He is there where the tiller is tilling the hard ground and where the path-maker is breaking stones. He is with them in sun and in shower, and his garment is covered with dust. Put off thy holy mantle and even like him come down on the dusty soil?"
These are the people who have been taken care of by this Government by launching several schemes. I cannot see God. I have not attained that spiritual power. I am an ordinary human being. I can see God through my people who are the worst sufferers in this country. `Janatho Janardhan' is my philosophy. I am going to work for this. What kind of people are they?
"Come out of thy meditations and leave aside thy flowers and incense! What harm is there if thy clothes become tattered and stained? Meet him and stand by him in toil and in sweat of thy brow."
This is my conviction. I do not want to tempt others. The ambition in the whole of my life has been to serve those people who have been neglected for the last 50 years. Shri Chandra Shekhar had made a Padayatra. He was not allowed to place his Budget on the Table of the House. He was not allowed to launch new schemes. He had walked 3,500 kilometres. But I did not lose my opportunity. I know the hanging sword. I wanted to prove what I am. That has been proved with the cooperation of my colleague, the Minister of Finance and I have done like this. The implementation part is left to the House. If everybody cooperates, as they have agreed to pass the Finance Bill, I am grateful.
I once again thank all of you and the country. Inevitably, when the issue was forced by a hasty decision, we had no option. The country was speaking. I agree that we have not solved all the problems. We tried to do something in ten months' time. The country at least started to feel a seeming stability. The country was about to take off but unfortunately, this has happened.
Again, to restore this Government's confidence in the investors, on the 30th December last year, we invited all the industrialists. We invited the financial experts. I went to Mumbai. I met the investors. Their own Party Chief Minister was there. I did not show any discrimination during my administration of this Government for ten months. I cleared all the projects irrespective of any State, irrespective of any political party in the country. Nearly 500 projects were cleared in the last ten months which are touched about seven billion dollars.
Is that the sin I have committed? We have given licences to 118 new sugar mills in ten months. I can quote any number of decisions which I have taken only with the sole object that this country may now come out of the wrecks and that the country's progress would be speeded up. With this background, we have taken the decision.
Sir, I would like to once again express my thanks to all the Members including the Congress (I) who have supported me to allow me to do something in these ten months.
I was not such a tallest man. But destiny has brought me here. I am satisfied. I have not betrayed my people, my nation or even my friendly partners in these last ten months. Today, Sir, with your cooperation and with the cooperation of the entire House what little humble service I could do I have done in these last ten months.
I would also like to express my sincere thanks to the media persons. After the withdrawal of support to the United Front Government by the Congress (I), all the newspapers including the regional newspapers have tried at least to give the correct version of the achievement of this Government. So, I want to sincerely express my gratitude and thanks to the media persons. I also want to thank you, Sir, the Deputy Speaker and to everybody for having given me full cooperation in these last ten months.
Lastly, it is up to the House to take a decision according to the conscience about the Confidence Motion.
(ends)
MR. SPEAKER: Why do you not sit down? Please take your seats now. You can go to your respective seats a little later, not now.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: What is icated in two ways - first by a count down on the total results display board that is 10-9-8 and it will go upto 0 and secondly by the period between sounding of the audio alarms.
SHRI SONTOSH MOHAN DEV (SILCHAR): Sir, I hope Rajya Sabha Members have no vote.
MR. SPEAKER : Of course, a Member who has no seat here cannot vote.
The actual process of division starts with the first audio alarm which you will get it on the board. A Member has to press the buttons only after the first audio alarm is heard. After the expiry of ten seconds the audio alarm sounds for the second time when the two buttons being pressed should be released.
Thank you.
The question is :
"That this House expresses its confidence in the Council of Ministers".
The Lok Sabha divided.
(Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER : Subject to correction, the result of the division is:
Ayes : 158
Noes : 292
The motion was negatived.
THE MINISTER OF INDUSTRY (SHRI MURASOLI MARAN): Sir, the corrected numbers should be announced now itself.
MR. SPEAKER : If you want to remain for that, you can. Otherwise, the correction will take place later because it is `subject to correction.' That is why it is said, "subject to correction".
The House stands adjourned sine die.
2354 hours
The Lok Sabha then adjourned sine die.