The President's views assume significance in the light of the continuing political uncertainty at the Centre. The fact that he chose to dispense with his customary address to the nation and used the interview mode to comment on a host of issues is being seen as an effort by him to underline his constitutional obligations in an era of unstable coalition politics.

He also delivered a warning on the misuse of Article 356 by recalling his action in returning the Gujral Government's recommendation of President's Rule in Uttar Pradesh last year. ``My constitutional understanding was that theimposition of the Article can be done only if it can be conclusively proved that in a State the constitutional machinery has broken down,'' he asserted.

But Narayanan was careful enough not to give the impression that he was exceeding his brief when he observed that the Constitution gave the President very little direct power or influence to interfere in matters or affect the course of events.

On the then Cabinet's recommendation for President's rule in Uttar Pradesh, he was emphatic that the constitutional machinery had not broken down in the State. Also, there was the question of the dissolution of the Assembly. ``On these two grounds, I returned it. And I think the Government was very understanding.'' He further said: ``The President has the power to return a matter but the Government while reconsidering this will have to agree with him, if they don't agree, then, it is difficult for him to see that through.''

The President dwelt at length on a range of issues including the recent nuclear tests,Sino-Indian relations, the communal situation and women's empowerment.

Coming out strongly in defence of the nuclear tests, he said nuclear weapons should not be in the hands of any one country or a group of countries. He also did not believe that India had lost its high moral ground because of the tests.

``Hitherto, for the last 10-15 years the world seems to have forgotten that these vast arsenals of nuclear weapons exist among the five great powers. World seems to have forgotten because they are quiet about it, and but when we conducted the tests, then suddenly everybody has woken up and feel that there is such a threat. From that point of view it gave a very salutary shock to the complacency of the great powers and the world opinion which was moulded by them,'' he said.

Narayanan believed that India had exploded the bomb not with the intention of using it. He hoped that both India and Pakistan would settle down to the fact of their having nuclear weapons.

The President, who had a role to play inthe efforts towards normalisation of relations with China, admitted that there were problems with that country but they were temporary. ``I feel that there is mutuality of interest between India and China in being friends, co-operating with each other fully. Of course there are problems between us and these problems can be solved...''