New Delhi: An unrelenting Government today (Aug 23, 2004) conveyed to BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) its decision not to restore the original plaque containing freedom fighter Veer Savarkar's quotations from the Cellular Jail memorial, which led to stalling of proceedings in both Houses over the past few days.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad telephonically conveyed the Government's decision to BJP Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha V K Malhotra.

"Azad has asked me to convey the decision to the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) leaders. We will take a decision on it tomorrow at the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting," Malhotra told in New Delhi.

He claimed that on Friday it was conveyed to the party that the plaque would either be restored in its original place (where it was replaced by Mahatma Gandhi's quotation) or it would be placed at another place at the 'Swatantrya Jot' (Freedom Flame) memorial set up by the Indian Oil Corporation Foundation.

The BJP-led Opposition had been stalling the proceedings since last week demanding that the plaque be restored and Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyer, under whose direction it was allegedly removed, tender an apology.