New Delhi: More than 2,700 amendments to
the President`s Address to Parliament have been submitted in
both Houses in a bid to corner the government on issues like
NCTC, federalism and corruption.
Of the over 2,700 amendment notices given by members
in both Houses on the Presidential Address delivered by
Pratibha Patil on March 12, 2,667 have been accepted. The
others were not accepted as they were not submitted within the
stipulated time, Parliamentary sources said.
Political parties including the BJP, TMC, NC, BJD,
AIADMK, DMK, Left parties, TDP, JD(U), SAD and Shiv Sena are
likely to move amendments to the Presidential Address ranging
from formation of NCTC without consulting the state
governments, alleged assault on federalism by the Centre,
atrocities against Sri Lankan Tamils, Lokpal Bill and the
fight against corruption and other issues.
Even UPA allies like TMC, DMK and NC are opposed to
parts of the Presidential Address and will move amendments
which will be an embarrassment for the Congress.
While the West Bengal (TMC) and Jammu and Kashmir (NC)
governments are opposed to NCTC, DMK and other parties are
miffed that the President did not make any mention on the
attacks on Sri Lankan Tamils by the government there towards
the fag end of the war against LTTE.
Other than the National Counter Terrorism Centre
(NCTC), which was announced through an Office Memorandum,
opposition parties have alleged that the federal structure has
repeatedly been breached by the Centre and there is all-round
corruption in government.
Some of the parties may even move cut-motions on some
schemes mentioned in the Address.
These amendments are likely to be clubbed together
and put to a voice vote, sources said.
PTI
