Hitting back at the Congress for its criticism of the Narendra Modi government on the slew of ordinances promulgated recently, the BJP on Wednesday came up with details of ordinances issued during Congress regimes and wondered if the party would brand Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi as “dictators.”
Attacking Congress president Sonia Gandhi for her ‘dictatorial tendencies’ remark against the Modi government, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said that if the party’s political adversaries attempt to stall the NDA’s development agenda, the government would not remain “helpless.”
He, however, added that if the Opposition had concerns on any of the ordinances then the government would be keen to clarify them when they come up for approval in Parliament. “I appeal to them to help in economic recovery and nation building through constructive cooperation in the coming budget session of Parliament.”
He said as many as 195 ordinances were issued during the Indira Gandhi regime and 70 during the Nehru dispensation even though his government had the full backing of Parliament. During 1971-77 Indira Gandhi got issued 99 ordinances at a rate of two every three months. The Rajiv Gandhi regime had 35 ordinances even though he enjoyed majority in Parliament and the Narasimha Rao government got issued 77 ordinances at a rate of two every three months. Between 2004 and 2014 the Manmohan Singh government promulgated 61 ordinances.
Responding to the CPI (M) criticism, Mr. Naidu said the party was a constituent of the United Front government that ruled between 1996-98 during which period as many as 77 ordinances were issued at a record rate of three per month.
“With such a record of ordinances, how can the Congress and others say we are dictatorial? Ms. Sonia Gandhi should explain whether Nehru and Indira Gandhi were dictators or democrats,” he said.
