New Delhi: BJP on Monday said it will move
amendments to the President`s address, when it comes up for
discussion and passage in the two Houses of Parliament, on
"sensitive issues" including formation of NCTC without consent
of the states.
Deputy Leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha SS Ahluwalia
described President Pratibha Patil`s speech as one "completely
lacking in vision, having no big picture" and said it dealt
with details of how many passport centres had been opened and
where all cable TV digitisation has taken place.
"The President`s address said nothing on how the
government intends to deal with the present economic crisis.
It does not indicate what steps the government intends to take
to revive the economy and economic sentiments," Ahluwalia
said.
BJP will move an amendment on the National Counter
Terrorism Centre (NCTC) issue mentioned in the address to
underline how this is an example of the Centre encroaching on
federal rights of the states, he said. UPA allies TMC and NC
are opposed to it and the opposition has sensed an opportunity
to corner the government on this issue.
"In the name of national and internal security, the
Centre has been encroaching on the federal structure and
formed the NCTC without consulting the states. This is
virtually snatching the rights of the states without
consulting them," Ahluwalia said. He pointed out that when the
order came, Jammu and Kashmir and West Bengal had opposed it.
Asked about other amendments, he said the party will
go into the "nitty gritty" of the speech and then decide.
The BJP said the President`s address did not restore the
confidence that states have lost in the Centre due to its
anti-federal attitude.
"The NCTC is a government ploy to dilute the law and
order and public order powers of the states. The address
instead of showing a road map for the nation, conveys a gloomy
picture of the government suggesting that it has reached end
of the road," the party said in a statement.
Expressing disappointment with the address, it said the
address has been converted into a "grocery list of the various
departments of the government".
"It does not refer to what the government intends to
do with the issues of corruption and the amendments proposed
by the opposition to the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill. It does
not deal with the issues of corruption and restoration of the
credibility of the political leadership," the opposition party
said.
The BJP maintained that the address was supposed to be a
policy statement which must indicate problems and challenges
facing the nation and the possible road map that the
government intends to take to deal with them.
PTI
