Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh): Hitting out at the Congress for resorting to cheap tactics including misuse of government machinery ahead of assembly polls, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on February 21 asked it to conduct itself with dignity expected in a democracy.

A day after advocating the cause of Ram temple and total ban on cow slaughter, Vajpayee asserted it was not a crime to talk about hindutva, even as he conceded that the ills of other parties were affecting the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), which wanted to be a party with a difference.

"Congress is resorting to such shameful tactics. Raids were carried out in the factories of Chief Minister P K Dhumal's relatives in Punjab. They are misusing government machinery. Is it the way to go about things?" a visibly upset Vajpayee asked at an election meeting on the second day of his poll campaign in the state.

Taking strong exception to the circulation of pamphlets in Madhya Pradesh alleging that he eats beef, Vajpayee said they are making baseless allegations but people have realized the truth.

"While in Opposition, we always fought on principles and used to stand with the government shoulder to shoulder at times of crises. We never used cheap tactics. Democracy demand dignified conduct," he said.

PTI