Cong slams Opp. presence at stir
On the eve of the all-party meeting on the Lokpal issue, the Congress on Tuesday made a scathing attack on Opposition parties, especially the BJP, accusing them of seeking “approval and approbation from extra-constitutional elements” by participating in Team Anna’s debate at Jantar Mantar.
“Show your own spine. Do not rely on others”, was the message of Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi to the main Opposition BJP whom he charged with “riding piggyback on Anna Hazare’s bandwagon”.
Taking strong exception to the Opposition sharing dais with Mr Hazare and his team at Jantar Mantar here recently, Mr Singhvi said that by seeking “approval and approbation” from Team Anna, “you are admitting your non-representative character”.
Besides the BJP, other parties like the Samajwadi Party, the Janata Dal (U), the CPI(M), the BJD and the CPI also sent their representatives at Jantar Mantar.
The Opposition action was fraught with “grave and irreversible adverse consequences on parliamentary democracy” as a “non-elected, non-representative outfit” was attempting to make Parliament superfluous and redundant, he contended.
Mr Singhvi, who is also chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the Lokpal bill, said the Opposition’s action was a “totally self-serving act of bypassing parliamentary process”.
Singling out the BJP for attack, Mr Singhvi said that in its “haste and greed” for power it was utilising Mr Hazare, as the anti-corruption “yatra” as also bringing a “duplicate” Jan Lokpal bill in one of the states ruled by it did not raise its political stock. “Whether you have power or not... get it or lose it on your own. Show your own spine. Do not lean on others... Do not do it merely because you are in the Opposition. These are wrong precedents and precepts... which will bite you ferociously tomorrow,” he told the BJP.
Mr Singhvi said it was time that all the parties within the UPA and outside it sit together and try to evolve a political consensus.
“Even if that consensus yields a legislation which is good, bad or indifferent... At least the decision will be that of the Constitution of India and Parliament which have been designated to take decisions. Decision-making should not be outsourced to non-representative third parties,” he said.
He said that by debating the issue in the streets, the Opposition had shown why it was not allowing Parliament to function. “They have more faith in debating on the street instead of Parliament as they are getting a good TRP. But their action will certainly hurt Parliament, though its foundation is solid.”
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