New Delhi: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on February 1 laid the foundation of a massive spiritual complex spread over 200 hectares in the heart of Delhi.

Surrounded by famous centres of worship like the Baha'I Lotus temple, Kalkaji and ISKCON temples, the "Aastha Kunj" is aimed at providing spiritual solace to people. It will have urban park facilities, a festival congregational zone, ecological corridor and a socio-cultural zone.

Laying the foundation stone, Vajpayee asserted that India was emerging as a powerful nation and asked people to mould their mindset in line with the changing situation.

"Today there is a need to change our views as the situation is changing. The world acknowledges India as an emerging powerful nation," he said.

Upholding the never-say-die spirit, the Prime Minister in his philosophical style asked people to take a pledge to march ahead, come what may.

To drive home his point, he referred to the drought situation in 14 states and said the government tackled the problem successfully by not letting prices to shoot and keeping inflation under control.

"In fact we have exported foodgrains, provided rice at Rs 2 per kilo in the drought- hit areas and launched food-for-work programme in those places," he said and presented a dig at media reports of starvation deaths.

PTI