New Delhi: Accusing sections of media of distorting facts on the disinvestment issue, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on October 2 regretted that an atmosphere was being created as if the entire privatisation process has come to a halt due to differences within the government.

In an apparent reference to the opposition to strategic sale of public sector units from some Cabinet ministers, he said, "Differences are bound to be there when knowledgeable people discuss policies. An impression is being created that the disinvestment policy is wrong and that there are divisions within the government."

Significantly, the Prime Minister's remarks came at a function in New Delhi hours after hardliners in the Cabinet against the strategic sale method for disinvestment, George Fernandes, Murli Manohar Joshi and Ram Naik, met and discussed the issue.

Observing that it was not always necessary that everyone in the government should sit together to discuss policies, Vajpayee said there was nothing wrong it people held separate meetings.

"But there should be a limit to that", the Prime Minister said launching the first issue of 'Shram Samachar' brought out by the Labour Ministry to carry information on labour reforms, labour laws, rights and duties of workers and employers to the industries and labour organisations.

PTI