Pratibha pitches in for secularism

Kolkata, July 13(UNI) Binding in a camaraderie the Congress and the Left alike, UPA's Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil today visited the West Bengal Assembly in a campaign for the July 19 election with secularism as the key word.

''Secularism is the most fundamental creed of our Constitution.

It guarantees equal respect for all faiths and ensures social harmony. It underlines uniqueness of our unity in diversity,'' the veteran Congress politician said while addressing the assembly of Congress and Left Front legislators.

The meeting was also attended by the lone Gorkha Liberation Front (GNLF) member. The Trinamool Congress, having a strength of 30 in the 294-member House, did not participate.

Expressing confidence that all the legislators of the UPA and its supporting parties would vote for Ms Patil, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said the Left parties had always wanted a political person with ''secular credential'' to be a candidate for the country's highest office and ''Ms Patil was the right candidate''.

''We cannot afford to vote someone belonging to the RSS,'' he said.

Pointing that 60 years after independence ''India will have a woman President'', Ms Patil observed that the 2007 Presidential election would be a significant moment in the history of the country's democracy.

''I would place on record my gratitude to the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the leaders of the UPA, the Left parties, and other supporting parties,'' she said.

It was in a deviation from the continuing rows between the Congress-led UPA and the supporting Left parties over economic and external issues, that their common candidate talked about an ''all inclusive'' economic growth taking care of the disadavantaged, the Dalits, tribals, minorities and the backward.

''In my 45-year-long public life, I had to face many challenges, but I have continued to work for rural development, for spreading education and for women empowerment,'' she emphasised.

''In spite of all the attempts to tarnish my image with baseless charges, I remain steadfast in my commitment to my fellow citizens and my country...'' she said.

Earlier, observing that Bengal had always stood for secularism, Congress Legislature Party leader Manas Bhunia appealed to all the legislators to ensure that no single vote was cast against Ms Patil.

Coinciding with her visit, the Trinamool Congress members boycotted the day's proceedings demanding resignation of the Chief Minister for the Nandigram incident and staged a demonstration in the lobby, shouting slogans and holding up posters decrying the Government.

UNI