BJP knocks at prez door to reconvene Lokpal session

Alleges government benches "engineered" disturbances

PTI | January 5, 2012



Accusing the government of "complete subversion" of parliament, BJP top brass on Thursday met President Pratibha Patil and sought her intervention for reconvening of the session to enable voting on the Lokpal Bill in rajya sabha.

Led by L K Advani, party president Nitin Gadkari and leaders of opposition in both houses Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj, the BJP delegation handed over a memorandum to the President seeking a special parliament session.

The party charged the government with deliberately paralysing parliamentary proceedings and "contrived disturbances" on the last day of the extended Winter Session to escape the crucial vote on the Lokpal Bill as it lacked a majority in the rajya sabha.

"We have sought the President's intervention and expressed our grievance and dissatisfaction on the events that took place in rajya sabha on the night of December 29," Advani told reporters after meeting Patil.

Jaitley later said, "We have suggested to the President that she should take the initiative and give a concrete suggestion for reconvening the parliament session for the voting for creation of a strong Lokpal which was postponed earlier."

The President has said that she would examine various aspects on the matter before taking any action, he said.

The BJP memorandum stated that "this incident has left a blot on India's parliamentary democracy and the nation looks up to you to restore the credibility of India's parliament."

The BJP memorandum states that "when such a breakdown of the constitutional machinery takes place, the President as a protector and guardian of Indian Constitution must act".

The memorandum states, "The President could advise the government to reconvene the Session and immediately take a vote. The government must be asked to explain the reasons why the house was disturbed through such contrived disturbances."

Jaitley said the opposition had moved many amendments some of which were common amendments by several opposition parties, which infact constituted the majority in rajya sabha.

These common amendments included that the investigating agency with Lokpal be made independent, and also process of appointment and removal of Lokpal be freed of government influence, he said.

"The government kept trying for the support of parties, when it was clear that the government did not have a majority it contrived disturbances, to avoid voting on the Bill," Jaitley charged, adding "it was an open secret that the government, for the first time in the history of parliament, contrived disturbances to avoid a vote".

In its memorandum, the BJP stated that the government benches "engineered" disturbances, initially through a friendly party and subsequently by its own members and these disturbances were "contrived" to earn an adjournment so that a voting could be avoided.

"When government disturbs proceedings and the house is adjourned, it sets a terrible precedent which would always be pointed out by potential disturbers. The legitimacy of the house to question such future disturbances is dented.

"The effort to avoid a vote through contrived disturbances is a clear subversion of parliamentary democracy. A government which avoids a vote has no moral authority to continue in office", the BJP memorandum states.

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