Fernandes Calls for UPA's Defeat
Patna: Dec. 16, 2007
NDA convener George Fernandes, on the second day of the two-day seminar on socialism in Patna on Sunday, blasted the Sonia Gandhi-led UPA government at the Center for 'continuing to compromise the security of the nation' and asked the citizens of India to band together to oust this government.
"Today this nation is facing danger from both outside and within. The borders have been compromised, China has started to flex its muscle again and is using the Naxalites to its own political advantage. In spite of all this, the UPA government has chosen to look the other way as if everything is just dandy," said Fernandes.
The Janata Dal (U) leader who is all but abandoned by his own party members for his apparent disconnect with the changing environment in the post call-center economic culture, said socialists across the nation should go back to their home base and prepare for the next Lok Sabha polls in which it was imperative to show the door to the UPA government.
"If needed, organize rallies, organize public meetings, and take your anger to the streets," Fernandes, once a formidable trade union leader, said.
Still peeved at his treatment in the hands of Sharad Yadav and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for sidelining him from the party in a slow but certain fashion, Fernandes vowed to never align with either of the two saying he made a huge mistake when he decided to merge his Samata Party with the Janata Dal (U).
"Agreement with Sharad or Nitish is not possible, at least not in this life," answered Fernandes when asked by a reporter.
Later, the Chief Minister met with Fernandes at his hotel on Sunday night though the meeting was believed to be more of a formality than a genuine attempt to patch things up.
"He came to meet me so I met with him and there is no reason for anyone to make anything extra out of it," the Socialist leader said.
Kumar, reacting to Fernandes' scathing criticism of him and Sharad Pawar, said the former Defense Minister was way too senior to him and preferred to make any comment on it.
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