2 May 2002
GOVT GOOGLY FLOORS OPPOSITION
MOTION ON GUJARAT VIOLENCE
From Jal Khambata
NEW
DELHI: In an unexpected cunning googly, the Vajpayee Government on
Thursday averted its sure defeat in the Rajya Sabha in voting on a
motion on the Gujarat violence by adopting it and wanting the House
to pass it unanimously.
The diplomatic shot to save the
government's face came from External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh
immediately after Congress member Arjun Singh finished his 45-minute
opening remarks on the motion.
"The Government shares
sentiments of the motion totally in letter and spirit," Jaswant
Singh told a stunned Opposition as he said the Government also agrees
with the motion urging upon the Centre to act under Article 355 of
the Constitution to protects lives and property of citizens.
"Home
Ministry and others have already taken steps as per Article 355 and
will continue to take steps necessary," Jaswant Singh said,
pointing out that the Government shares the anguish expressed in the
motion "totally."
The Opposition need not be
surprised as Jaswant Singh pointed out that the "phraseology"
of the motion agreed upon to end the deadlock of seven days was the
"collective decision of all" and hence has the government's
consent right from that day.
All that was left after Jaswant
Singh's googly in the day-long debate is charges and counter-charges
between the ruling and the opposition benches as the Opposition's
plans to use its majority to pass the motion to embarrass the
government stand frustrated.
The motion expresses anguish at
the communal carnage in Gujarat, calls upon the Centre to protect
lives and property of citizens under Article 355 and ensure speedy
relief and rehabilitation to the victims.
Expressing concern
that the Republic may disintegrate the way the ruling Bhartiya Janata
Party was emulating the Hitler to assert supremacy of the Hindu race
as seen in the attacks on the minority in Gujarat, Arjun Singh wanted
to know why the Centre was reluctant to accept even a vital
recommendation of the National Human Rights Commission for a CBI
probe into the Godhra train burning and other main incidents of
violence in Gujarat.
Arjun Singh said NHRC better move the
Supreme Court to get the directives issued to the Centre if it
refuses to act on its recommenations. He said the people had given a
democratic opportunity to the BJP to rule at the Centre and in many
states but they started withdrawing their mandate as seen from the
continuous defeat of the BJP in elections. The communal carnage in
Gujarat was nothing but "going back to basics" as the BJP
believes it has no other way to stop the fast erosion of its base.
END