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End war of words, Maran tells Suzuki

Union Industry Ministry Murasoli Maran on Saturday said that both the parties to the dispute in the Maruti Udyog Limited should end their war of words and resolve the issue through talks.

Maran declined to comment on whether the government would consider Suzuki’s request for change in the managing director of Maruti Udyog Limited. The minister said Suzuki Motor Corporation is welcome for talks with the government over contentious issues.

"The torrent of words from both the sides must end because sometime, at a later stage, you may have to eat your words," he said, while speaking to the media in Madras on Friday.

The minister also declined to answer a question as to whether the truce was being called at the initiative of Prime Minister I K Gujral, who returned from his foreign visit on Friday.

Maran said he was always available to Suzuki officials for a dialogue and he had never denied an appointment to the Japanese. "Suzuki should approach us directly and not through the media," he said.

With Suzuki also inclined for a negotiated settlement, a fresh round of talks between the two warring partners could be expected.

At a press conference on Thursday, Suzuki Executive Vice President Y Saito had said that his company would like to negotiate a solution to the dispute provided the government was willing to discuss Bhaskarudu.

Later on, speaking in Madras, Maran denied having said that the appointment of Maruti Udyog Limited Managing Director R S S L N Bhaskarudu is negotiable. He said it was "totally wrong" and that he had not said anything to that effect chatting with the reporters earlier in the day in Madras.