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DATE=5/19/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232442
TITLE=INDIA OPPOSITION (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  FORMER INDIAN PRIME MINISTER H-D DEVE GOWDA SAYS THE 
FEELINGS OF EUPHORIA AND NATIONAL PRIDE THAT SWEPT INDIA AFTER 
LAST WEEK'S NUCLEAR TESTS WILL SOON DIE DOWN, AND THE NATION WILL
ONCE AGAIN BE CONFRONTED BY ITS MANY PROBLEMS.  V-O-A NEW DELHI 
CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN REPORTS.
TEXT:  H-D DEVE GOWDA SAYS THE RULING HINDU NATIONALIST BHARATIYA
JANATA PARTY, OR B-J-P, IS USING LAST WEEK'S NUCLEAR TESTS FOR 
POLITICAL PURPOSES.  MR. DEVE GOWDA SAYS THE GOOD FEELINGS AMONG 
INDIANS THAT FOLLOWED THE NUCLEAR BLASTS WILL  NOT  LAST LONG. 
                     /// DEVE GOWDA ACT ///
         THE EUPHORIA, IT HAS BEEN CREATED BY THIS TEST.  IF IT 
         IS GOING TO BE SUPPORTED BY ALL POLITICAL PARTIES, THEN 
         THAT WILL HAVE ITS OWN IMPACT. IF B-J-P AND (ITS PARENT 
         ORGANIZATION THE) R-S-S WANT TO TAKE POLITICAL MILEAGE 
         BY THIS SO-CALLED EUPHORIA, THAT IS GOING TO DIE DOWN 
         VERY SOON.
                         /// END ACT ///
PRIME MINISTER ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE HAS STRONGLY DENIED THAT HIS 
ADMINISTRATION IS USING THE NUCLEAR TESTS FOR POLITICAL ENDS. 
MR. DEVE GOWDA TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE HE WAS OFFERED THE CHOICE 
OF CONDUCTING NUCLEAR TESTS EARLY LAST YEAR, WHEN HE WAS PRIME 
MINISTER, BUT HE DID  NOT  GO AHEAD BECAUSE THE COUNTRY WAS TOO 
WEAK, ECONOMICALLY, AND THE PROBLEMS OF INDIA'S POOR TOOK 
PRIORITY. 
// OPT //  MR. DEVE GOWDA, A MEMBER OF THE OPPOSITION UNITED 
FRONT, SAYS OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONSULTED IN
ADVANCE OF THE NUCLEAR TESTS.  HE SAYS THE NEW B-J-P GOVERNMENT 
PLEDGED IN PARLIAMENT THAT THE OPPOSITION WOULD BE CONSULTED ON 
MAJOR DECISIONS. 
MR. DEVE GOWDA SAYS THE R-S-S, THE PARENT ORGANIZATION OF THE 
B-J-P, KNEW ABOUT THE TESTS AHEAD OF TIME.  HOWEVER, A SENIOR 
AIDE TO THE PRIME MINISTER DENIES THIS.  // END OPT // 
MR. DEVE GOWDA SHOWED REPORTERS A LETTER HE SENT TO PRIME 
MINISTER VAJPAYEE LAST WEEK, ACCUSING THE GOVERNMENT OF USING THE
TESTS TO CREATE FEAR IN SOME PARTS OF SOCIETY.  THE LETTER SAYS 
THE ELITE CLASSES MAY CELEBRATE THE NUCLEAR TESTS BUT THE POOR 
REMAIN CAUGHT, IN WHAT MR. DEVE GOWDA CALLS THEIR BEGGARS' DREAM,
WITH STARVING STOMACHS.   (SIGNED)
NEB/DAB/WTW
19-May-98 6:42 AM EDT (1042 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.