The Hindu : Front Page : BJP moves 55 amendments

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 26, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

BJP moves 55 amendments

Special Correspondent

Pratibha’s address “nothing but ritual”

To bring up farmer suicide issue on Tuesday
“BJP more interested in disruption than discussion”

NEW DELHI: In a thinly veiled criticism of President Pratibha Patil’s address to the joint session of Parliament on Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party described it as “nothing but a ritual.” It said the address avoided mentioning the real problems faced by the country, whether it was price rise, the continuing agrarian crisis or terrorism.

Deputy leader of the party in the Lok Sabha V. K. Malhotra said the party gave notice of 55 amendments it had suggested to the President’s speech. However, he conceded that the moving of amendments was also a ritual, as never since Independence had any amendment to the President’s address been accepted.

Mr. Malhotra said a meeting of the National Democratic Alliance leaders on Sunday morning decided to raise in Parliament on Tuesday the continuing suicides by farmers, while demanding that question hour be suspended.

This was an indication that the Opposition would try and stall proceedings till noon on Tuesday when the Railway budget is to be presented. The party would not try to disrupt the Railway budget address, he added.

Later, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi pointed out that at a recent conference of whips, a panel led by the BJP’s whip in the Rajya Sabha S. S. Ahluwalia had recommended that question hour be not disrupted.

“If they still go ahead and do exactly what Mr. Ahluwalia has recommended should not be done, I have nothing to say,” Mr. Dasmunsi said, adding that it was for the presiding officers to take a decision on any notice by any member.

The BJP also knew that any issue could be raised by its members during the course of the debates on the Union budget, the Railway budget and the motion of thanks to the President’s address.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said, “The BJP needs a pretext to disturb the House. If they are serious about the issue, they will serve notice when a proper discussion is possible.”

He pointed out that it was for the presiding officers to determine admissibility of any notice.

The BJP was just indulging in dramatics and that the agrarian crisis had started as a result of policies of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government.

The Congress-led government always welcomed discussions on any subject in Parliament but the BJP seemed to be more interested in disruption than discussion, he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page