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BJP lashes back at Congress over Ayodhya
New Delhi, July 22: Hitting out at the Congress for raising the Ayodhya issue with unfailing regularity in every session of parliament, BJP today said it was ready for a debate on it under Rule 193, which does not entail voting.
New Delhi, July 22: Hitting out at the Congress for raising the Ayodhya issue with unfailing regularity in every session of parliament, BJP today said it was ready for a debate on it under Rule 193, which does not entail voting.
"We are ready for a discussion on the issue under Rule 193 in the Lok Sabha though it has been debated at least 20 times. Even though this "dadagiri" (bullying tactics) cannot be tolerated, we can have the debate," party spokesman V K Malhotra told reporters after the BJP parliamentary party meeting here.
"As a ritual the Congress raises the Ayodhya issue, holds the house to ransom and does not allow the ruling party to conduct regular business," he said.
Party president M Venkaiah Naidu told the meeting that there was no pressure on the CBI to withdraw cases even though "by and large the cases against deputy prime minister L K Advani, HRD minister Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti were politically inspired."
Naidu said as BJP was a party with a difference, it felt that these cases need not be cancelled. He recalled that in 1980 Congress had withdrawn cases filed against Indira Gandhi on the basis of Shah Commission Report.
Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee asked members to take active part in parliamentary standing committee meets and persue the reports.
He told members that many times it appeared that they had not seen the reports, apparently referring to reports which did not find favour with the government.
Attacking Congress, Naidu said the stand of the opposition parties on the CBI cases against Advani and others was preposterous.
"It is for the court to frame a charge or to discharge. A political debate in Parliament has no role in a criminal case and as to what charge should be framed. It amounts to interference in the functioning of the judiciary. Advani was seen appealing to Kar Sevaks on December six, 1992, not to demolish the structure. How can he be a conspirator in this demolition case?" Naidu said.
He said Congress, which has a past record of withdrawing criminal cases against its leaders after coming to power in 1980, has no moral right to criticise the NDA government with regard to CBI cases on the Ayodhya issue.
"The NDA government did not withdraw the CBI cases and it stands as a testimony to its commitment to the rule of law," Naidu said.
He ruled out Advani or any other minister resigning on this issue. "The opposition is getting exposed and any further disturbances on this issue will boomerang on them," he said.
Bureau Report
"We are ready for a discussion on the issue under Rule 193 in the Lok Sabha though it has been debated at least 20 times. Even though this "dadagiri" (bullying tactics) cannot be tolerated, we can have the debate," party spokesman V K Malhotra told reporters after the BJP parliamentary party meeting here.
"As a ritual the Congress raises the Ayodhya issue, holds the house to ransom and does not allow the ruling party to conduct regular business," he said.
Party president M Venkaiah Naidu told the meeting that there was no pressure on the CBI to withdraw cases even though "by and large the cases against deputy prime minister L K Advani, HRD minister Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti were politically inspired."
Naidu said as BJP was a party with a difference, it felt that these cases need not be cancelled. He recalled that in 1980 Congress had withdrawn cases filed against Indira Gandhi on the basis of Shah Commission Report.
Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee asked members to take active part in parliamentary standing committee meets and persue the reports.
He told members that many times it appeared that they had not seen the reports, apparently referring to reports which did not find favour with the government.
Attacking Congress, Naidu said the stand of the opposition parties on the CBI cases against Advani and others was preposterous.
"It is for the court to frame a charge or to discharge. A political debate in Parliament has no role in a criminal case and as to what charge should be framed. It amounts to interference in the functioning of the judiciary. Advani was seen appealing to Kar Sevaks on December six, 1992, not to demolish the structure. How can he be a conspirator in this demolition case?" Naidu said.
He said Congress, which has a past record of withdrawing criminal cases against its leaders after coming to power in 1980, has no moral right to criticise the NDA government with regard to CBI cases on the Ayodhya issue.
"The NDA government did not withdraw the CBI cases and it stands as a testimony to its commitment to the rule of law," Naidu said.
He ruled out Advani or any other minister resigning on this issue. "The opposition is getting exposed and any further disturbances on this issue will boomerang on them," he said.
Bureau Report