Cong justifies non-UPA parties exclusion from Satyagraha conf

New Delhi, Jan 29 (UNI) The Congress today sought to justify the exclusion of non-UPA political parties from invitation to attend the two-day international conference to mark the commemoration of the centenary of the Satyagraha movement, saying it was not an all party meet but an entirely Congress show.

''This is a party (Congress) event. People who have been invited are associated in some way or the other with Mahatma Gandhi, the Gandhian philosphy or the freedom movement,'' Congress spookesman for the conference Devendra Dwivedi clarified, adding, ''some are not qualified to be invited.'' Asked why Left parties supporting the Congress-led UPA government had been invited, Mr Dwivedi, on the first day of the conference, told reporters that some Left leaders had been part of the Freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi. He cited in this context a book written by eminent Leftist and Parliamentarian Hiren Mukherjee about his participation in the Freedom movement.

Parties which had been committed to the Gandhian values or engaged in nation-building had been invited to the international conference, he said replying to persistent queries.

''Controversies are integral part of politics and we do not want any controversy about it,'' he added.

Noting there were thousands of parties in the world, Mr Dwivedi said, ''We have been very selective in choosing the parties after checking their credentials and examining their relevance to Gandhism.'' Asked why parties like the BJP and the NDA parties were not invited to the conference, the Congress spokesman said, ''It is a solemn occasion not an all party meet. It has been organised by the Congress. We respect other parties and keep meeting them.'' MORE UNI