Lucknow: Opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday lashed out at Mayawati government`s decision to raise a
special police force to guard Dalit monuments in the state
accusing the Chief Minister of challenging the sanctity of the
Governor`s office and the legislature.
Taking strong exception to the state cabinet`s decision
to go ahead with raising the special force even when a bill
and ordinance for the same purpose were awaiting the nod from
the Raj Bhawan, Samajwadi Party, BJP and Congress said it was
not the law of the land but "Mayawati law" which was
prevailing in the state.
"Something of this sort has never happended in the history
of Uttar Pradesh ", Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra
Chaudhary told PTI.
"Yesterday`s decision once again proves that the chief
minister has no faith in the constitution as she has been
repeatedly showing scant regard for the constitutional
institutions", Chaudhary charged adding "now she has
challenged the sanctity of the office of the Governor and the
legislature".
"The Chief Minister and the cabinet have overreached
their authority by taking a decision to raise the force ... if
the Governor had not given his assent to the bill pending with
him in this regard, the government should have got it passed
by the legislature again", Chaudhary said citing the example
of the then Mulayam Singh Yadav government which had twice
brought the bill in the assembly for setting up an university.
Accusing the central government of being responsible for
continued "audacity" on the part of the state government,
Chaudhary said it was because the Centre has so far "failed"
to take notice of such "unconstitutional" actions that further
encouraged it.
UPCC President Rita Bahuguna Joshi said the right to
issue an ordinance rested with the Governor and the Chief
Minister should have waited for his assent on the bill and the
ordinance.
"It is both against the constitution and the democratic
traditions followed in the country", she said adding the
executive order issued in this regard by the state government
yesterday was "ridiculous and an insult to the office of
the Governor".
BJP spokesman Hriday Narain Dixit charged the state
government with crossing its constitutional authority by
deciding to set up a new force through an executive order.
"It requires a separate law which can be passed only by
getting the bill approved by the legislature and due nod from
the Governor", he said.
Dixit also requested the Governor to take cognizance
of this "undemocratic" act of the state government and send
his report to the Centre.
PTI
