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Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008
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BJP draws flak, isolated in Parliament

New Delhi Bureau

Furore over CPI(M) office attack

NEW DELHI: Amid across-the-floor condemnation in Parliament of the attack on the Communist Party of India (Marxist) headquarters here, the government on Monday turned down a Bharatiya Janata Party demand for an independent probe into the recent spate of violence in Kerala.

Barring support from the Shiv Sena, the BJP stood isolated as it drew flak even from most of its partners in the National Democratic Alliance.

Responding to a discussion in the Rajya Sabha, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said the Centre could not order an independent probe as law and order was a State subject. Though the BJP tried to raise a similar demand in the Lok Sabha, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee refused to allow it, insisting that all parties confine themselves to the attack on the CPI(M) headquarters.

Expressing concern over the growing incidents of political violence, Mr. Patil urged all parties to show restraint and maintain the dignity of parliamentary democracy.

In the Lok Sabha, Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee said political parties were an integral part of democracy and such attacks, unacceptable. Assuring action against the culprits, Mr. Patil refuted the BJP’s charge that he had prevented the police from registering a complaint against the CPI(M).

He even threatened to move a privilege motion against S.S. Ahluwalia (BJP) for making the allegation. A similar charge was made in the Lok Sabha by V. K. Malhotra (BJP).

Though notices were submitted for suspension of question hour in both Houses, the two main parties to the controversy agreed to defer the matter till zero hour. While the discussion in the Rajya Sabha was preceded by an adjournment as the BJP insisted on raising the Kerala violence, the Lok Sabha adjourned midway when the two sides clashed verbally.

In the Lok Sabha, Mohammad Salim (CPI-M) said a bad precedent had been set by the attack and all should condemn this ‘cult of violence.’ Mr. Malhotra accused the CPI(M) of throwing the first stone. Stating that there was enough television footage to prove it, he demanded a judicial probe.

Madhusudan Mistry (Congress) sought to draw attention to the BJP’s ‘track record’ and questioned its ‘justification’ of this attack. As he demanded a ban on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), BJP members trooped into the well, forcing the adjournment.

With majority of the parties — including the Janata Dal (United), Biju Janata Dal and Trinamool Congress — condemning the attack when the discussion resumed, Santosh Gangwar (BJP) said it was not right to allow the House to condemn one party.

Initiating the discussion in the Rajya Sabha, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said it was not just an attack on a party office but an assault on the democratic system.

Mr. Yechury said the RSS was indulging in violence in Kerala in ‘utter frustration’ due to its declining number of “shakhas” and cadre strength.

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