Addressing a well-attended public meeting at the National College Grounds, Vajpayee -- recalling that the country went to war thrice since Independence, in which ``India was divided into pieces'' -- said ``we will not allow history to repeat itself.''

``No one will dare attack us after Pokharan II. But they are sending terrorists to destabilise our country. Even we are capable of doing the same, but we neither want a war nor a proxy war.'' The nuclear weapons in the country's arsenal were meant for self-defence, he added.

Holding that the country's forces were in a state of preparedness in case of any eventuality on the defence front, he said that India favoured peace with its neighbours. ``But it takes two hands to clap,'' he added.

Peace had returned to Jammu and Kashmir and the people of the State wanted tobe a part of India, Vajpayee said. Noting that India was as concerned about development as it was with its defence, Vajpayee called upon the ``neighbouring countries'' also to spend for the welfare of their people.

Criticising the Congress for its statements -- that Pokharan village had no drinking water -- the Prime Minister said, ``We had supported the Congress in the name of national interest when it conducted Pokharan I in 1974. There was no drinking water in Pokharan village then, but we did not speak about it because national interest was supreme.''

The Pokharan tests had induced a new confidence among Indians living abroad and efforts to isolate India in the international community through economic sanctions had failed, he said.

About the present political situation, he observed that the Congress should reconcile to the end of single-party rule. Instead, the party was struggling to come back to power. Speaking about the Emergency, he said ``I assure you that we will not commit that sin.'' Powerfor the present Government was a means and not an end in itself, he added.

Pointing out India had 31 per cent of people below the poverty line, eight crore unemployed, he said the social sector had been neglected. The Government's dream was to see ``cent per cent literacy, all children going to school properly fed and with a secure future,'' he said.

Referring to the Cauvery issue he said, though Chief Ministers of Cauvery riparian states belonged to the same party (in the past), there was no solution to the problem. ``At times I was scared that there would be fire on the (Cauvery) water.'' With the present Chief Ministers placing their trust in the Prime Minister, the issue was solved. ``There is no question or problem that cannot be solved by discussion and debate,'' he said.

Vajpayee said that the proposed national highway from Kashmir to Kanyakumari would bring about unity of the country, besides providing employment -- and thereby -- a boost to the economy.