Mumbai: In a clear message to the Sangh Parivar and its organisations, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on January 28 urged the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) to redefine its role model and cooperate with the government instead of criticising it.

"The Manch had all along been creating awareness among the masses about the Swadeshi movement but now time had come to redefine its role by cooperating with the government and not criticising it," Vajpayee told the gathering after inaugurating Swadeshi Mela-2003 at the sprawling Somaiya Trust grounds in Mumbai.

"You should look at the picture in totality and not just on a piecemeal basis so that we could overcome problems confronting the nation and become self-sufficient and self-reliant, Vajpayee advised the Swadeshi Jagran Manch.

"We want to take our own decisions and shape our own destiny. If Swadeshi was relevant before independence it was relevant even today, he assured the Manch.

Harping on self-reliance, Vajpayee said, "When the country wanted to become self-reliant in Defence field, a super power refused to cooperate in technology transfer but India has overcome this also.

After displaying potent "BRAHMOS" missile on Republic Day parade, we have received queries from foreign countries on purchase of weaponry, Vajpayee said.

If India could buy weapons from foreign countries, it was also in a position to sell them abroad, the Prime Minister said.

PTI