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PM condemns destruction of
statues by Taleban: PTI

"Those who are ruling Afghanistan are not Muslims as this kind of an act can only be done by uncultured people," the prime minister told a gathering in Shahpurkandi in Punjab.

"Such people have no regard for the feelings of humanity," he said, adding that no one could erase the name of Buddha despite all kinds of attempts.

Earlier, dedicating the Rs 3800-crore Ranjit Sagar dam project to the nation, Vajpayee said the country would try its best that no one succeeds in displacing people from Afghanistan and Jammu and Kashmir.

He said territorial and riparian issues between Punjab and Haryana, like the Cauvery issue, could be resolved by holding confabulations among partner states.

"The pendency of issues increases problems and hampers development," he said, and unity was important for the economic development of the country.

Vajpayee said the Centre could not implement 400 schemes related to irrigation in the country in the stipulated period due to paucity of funds.

Vajpayee said the response the country received from the world over after the devastating earthquake in Gujarat showed that humanitarian feelings were on the rise round the globe.

He said after the Gujarat quake, it has been accepted that "He" (God) is bent on destruction, but we are in favour of construction and development.

In response to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's request to him to adopt Punjab, Vajpayee said , "Instead of my adopting Punjab, the state should adopt me".

The prime minister said the Shahpurkandi dam project, being constructed on the Ravi river downstream of the Ranjit Sagar dam project, should be completed at the earliest. "The Centre is ready to extend full support to Punjab for speedy construction of the project," he added.

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