Saluting the Supreme Court verdict ordering the restoration of its government in Arunachal Pradesh, a jubilant Congress said it will raise the “unconstitutional” dismissal of the Nabam Tuki government in the forthcoming monsoon session of Parliament.
The party also demanded the immediate sacking of Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa, explanations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, and an investigation into a tape-recorded conversation between some BJP leaders and a businessman that was handed over to the court as proof of the conspiracy behind the toppling of the government.
The taped conversation, party spokesperson Kapil Sibal alleged, “points a needle of suspicion” towards the Prime Minister of India and the Home Minister.
Joining the Congress on Wednesday in condemning the Centre’s “unconstitutional” dismissal of a democratically elected government were other opposition parties. They included the Left parties, the Janata Dal-United, the Biju Janata Dal, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the National Conference.
For the Congress, it is the second time this year that the court has ruled in its favour in the matter of dismissal of its State governments. The first was Uttarakhand, where a Congress government returned to power after a court ordered floor test.
‘Governor should quit’
“We want the Governor to submit his resignation immediately and if he does not do so, we will ask for him to be dismissed,” Mr. Sibal said, also demanding an apology from Union Ministers who were involved in the decision to impose President’s Rule in the State.
This Supreme Court decision, Mr. Sibal said, “is historic in every sense of the word, because never before in the history of this country has the Supreme Court restored the status quo ante, having struck down actions of Constitutional authorities who used unconstitutional means to bring down governments”.
Meanwhile, BJD chief whip in the Lok Sabha, Tathagata Satpathy told The Hindu : “We shall certainly be raising the issue, not as an anti-BJP or pro-Congress measure, but to highlight the fact that the Centre has been trying to strong-arm democratically elected governments out of power and that this should stop.”
Mayawati’s demand
BSP supremo Mayawati said the Centre should “take lessons from the apex court’s verdict and try to walk the path as per the correct intentions of the Constitution.”
JD(U) spokesperson K.C. Tyagi said the Supreme Court decision “has exposed the Central government’s move to impose its own party rule by crushing an elected government”.
“The Centre should take action against those responsible for the continuous transgressions of the Constitutional structure in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh,” CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, adding the issue would be taken up in Parliament.
CPI national secretary D. Raja described the verdict as a “tight slap” on the government’s face after the Uttarakhand episode and said the verdict was a victory of “Constitution and democracy.”
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP-led Centre of “subverting” the Constitution and attempting to impose “dictatorship” in the country.
