New Delhi: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on January 8 made it clear to a British Labour Party delegation that the secular basis of the Indian polity would not change under any circumstances.

He told the delegation of Labour Members of Parliament (MPs), led by Stephen Pound that "The fundamental secular basis of the Indian polity was never under threat, nor would it change under any circumstances," Pound said.

He said after a 45-minute meeting, that this was made clear by Advani when the delegation raised the "larger issue of secularism" and whether it was under threat after the communal violence in Gujarat.

The Deputy Prime Minister, he said, was informed about the contributions made to world economies by the Indian diaspora with the delegation welcoming New Delhi's proposal to provide dual citizenship to persons of Indian origin (PIOs).

In the context of the global war against terrorism, the delegation expressed support to India's fight against cross-border terrorism.

The issue of the war against Iraq also came in for discussion, Pound said.

Besides Pound, the other members of the delegation were Stephen Hesford, Ann Cryer, Tom Watson, Peter Kilfoyle, Tony Clarke, Chris Ruane and Vikas Pota.

PTI