BJP to protest against Shinde during Budget Session

Puts govt in a fix as protest may hamper smooth functioning of Parliament

The BJP top brass today decided to strongly protest against Sushilkumar Shinde during the Budget Session till he tenders an apology for his Hindu terror remark against the principal opposition.

This may put the government in a fix as other NDA parties are also likely to stand by BJP on this issue. The protest against Shinde may hamper smooth functioning of Parliament and affect passage of crucial legislation.

The Executive Committee meeting of BJP's Parliamentary Party chaired by L K Advani decided that it will protest in Parliament against Shinde's comments that BJP and RSS were training grounds for saffron terror.

However, the party will not force adjournments of the two Houses on this issue.

BJP is holding a protest march in the capital tomorrow from Jantar Mantar against Shinde. Sources said Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj suggested in the meeting that the march should be to Shinde's residence.

BJP had earlier boycotted P Chidambaram for a whole session when he was the Home Minister and had made similar remarks.

The BJP top brass also agreed that the financial irregularities in the VVIP helicopter deal should be raised strongly in Parliament.

"There is a scam in this government before every session of Parliament. Earlier it was the Coal allocation scam and now the helicopter scam.... The ministers in this government are speaking in different voices on the scam. While the Defence Minister is saying we will scrap the deal, the External Affairs Minister is against it," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Press Council of India Chairperson Markandey Katju's comments against Narendra Modi-led Gujarat government will also be raised vociferously by the BJP.

Other issues on the agenda of the BJP for the Parliament session include the mutilation of bodies of Indian soldiers by Pakistani forces at the Kashmir border. The main opposition wants that this issue be taken up forcefully with Pakistan.

Drought and frost in some states and its impact on crops and the people living in the area will also be raised by the BJP in the Budget Session.

The meeting was also attended by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, and senior MPs Gopinath Munde, Murli Manohar Joshi, Maya Singh, Ramesh Bais, Shahnawaz Hussain, Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Balbir Punj.