New Delhi: In a veiled rejection of United States' 48-hour deadline to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to leave the country, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on March 18 expressed hope that "peace will prevail".

"When we are talking about the Gandhi Peace Prize, elsewhere in the world ultimatums are being given and people are being thrown out," he said at a function to present the prestigious Gandhi Peace Prize on Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

"We should still hope that there will be victory for peace… 'hinsa-roopi Holika ka dahan hoga' (the evil of violence will be destroyed)," Vajpayee told a galaxy of dignitaries gathered at the ceremony.

Greeting the people on the occasion of Holi festival, Vajpayee referred to the controversy over the date for Holi celebrations and said there could be a difference on the date, but there cannot be any differences on the festival itself.

The Prime Minister also lauded the yeoman services of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in the field of education and social activities.

The award of Rs one crore in cash, a citation and a plaque was presented by President A P J Abdul Kalam to former President R Venkataraman, who is the president of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (worldwide) at a brief function at the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Established in 1938 by K M Munshi with the blessings of Mahatma Gandhi, this year's Gandhi Peace Prize is awarded to Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan for its significant contribution towards spread of education, integration of the best of ancient and modern values and promotion of peace and harmony among all faiths and communities.

"I consider awarding Gandhi Peace Prize every year is an important mission with reverence because it celebrates the great leader who walked in this planet in the 20th Century as a millennium leader," Kalam said after conferring the award.

Stating that he was in search of an answer for what was "everlasting beauty" particularly in the life of a nation, the President said the answer was nothing but integration of multi cultures and multi philosophies with tolerance leading to great civilisational heritage.

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan is one such institution spreading the message and spreading that everlasting beauty, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Tourism and Culture Minister Jagmohan said the Bhavan, through its numerous institutions, publications and other activities, has not only made a lasting contribution in elevating the mindscape of India, but also propagated the Gandhian message of love, peace, tolerance and universal brotherhood all over the world.

The function was attended by Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Union Council of Ministers and a host of others.

PTI