The Lok Sabha, on Thursday, rejected an Opposition censure motion after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajapyee declared that his government would abide by the court verdict on the Ayodhya issue but not before a key allies rapped him for his controversial remarks and virtually threatened to abstain from voting on the motion.
All the allies, including those who had reservations over Vajpayee's controversial remarks on Ram Temple construction, backed the government to throw out the censure motion moved by Congress member S Jaipal Reddy 291 to 179 votes. BSP's 14 members abstained.
The motion had demanded removal of three ministers chargesheeted in the Babri Masjid demolition case and criticised the Prime Minister for coming to their defence. In his 50-minute speech, Vajpayee defended his statement that Ram Temple movement was an expression of national sentiment and compared it to a similar statement made by late Rajendra Prasad in the context of reconstruction of Somnath Temple in the 1950s.
But the allies were up in arms after the statement and the PM had to appease them by saying that his government would be committed to the court’s verdict. But the allies were up in arms after the statement and the PM had to appease them by saying that his government would be committed to the court’s verdict. Vajpayee also rejected the demand for resignation of chargesheeted ministers including L K Advani saying the question did not arise as they had not committed any common crime nor did law require it. Bureau Report