Resignation 'only option' for prime minister: BJP

Opposition demands Singh steps down; says he has failed not only to control inflation, fiscal deficit, but also to maintan internal and external security

A day after the Union government decided to sack law minister Ashwani Kumar and railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, the main Opposition party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has demanded for Prime Minister’s resignation. It has also decided to start a seven-day ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’ from May 27 to June 2.

The BJP leadership believes resignation is the only option for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh because the government under his leadership has failed on all fronts. BJP President Rajnath Singh said the PM had failed not only to control inflation, fiscal deficit but also to maintain internal and external security.

“If the PM honestly introspects, then he would realise that he should resign. The heart of the CBI’s status report was changed. We want to know from Ashwani Kumar in whose defence he was making the changes. He should tell us why he had to become the scapegoat. Who was he trying to save and to protect?” questioned Rajnath Singh, BJP president, during a press conference.         

Senior leaders of the BJP are of the view that if PM had agreed to sack these two ministers without any delay, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government could have easily saved the Budget Session.

“Many important legislations like the Food Security Bill and Land Acquisition Bill were lined up for discussion and passage in the Parliament, but the adamant UPA opted to waste the opportunity. Last night two Union ministers, facing charges of corruption and impropriety, finally resigned from their post,” said Singh. The senior BJP leader blamed UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for delayed action against the two ministers.

Singh further said PM Manmohan Singh should introspect and decide what should be done on his part to restore the faith of people in the entire political establishment.

“The government has totally lost the moral strength and it continues to survive on its numeric strength. The main source of UPA’s numeric strength comes from two parties of Uttar Pradesh, the SP and BSP,” Singh added.