Congress Protests President Bashing By Bjp Today

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) found itself in the middle of yet another controversy yesterday when an article in its mouthpiece BJP Today openly questioning the impartiality of the President of India by saying that "the lamp of the Congress was evidently still burning in his heart".

The article titled `Who is Above Politics' was severely criticised by the Congress yesterday. The party linked the article with what it said was the BJP's ulterior motive in reviewing the Constitution, despite the warning given by the President.

Written under the pen-name Vidur', the article questioned whether it was "appropriate for the President now to oppose a review of the Constitution". It "reminded" the President that the "National Democratic Alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party had contested the 1999 general elections with a manifesto which included a review of the Constitution. The people of India gave a clear majority to the NDA."

 

"The Congress deplores and condemns the attempt by the BJP to besmirch the dignity of the President of India," Congress spokesman Ajit Jogi said terming the BJP move as a "vituperative attack".

"As custodian of the Constitution, the President has simply been discharging his duty to protect the Constitution. Included in this assault on our Constitution is the arbitrary appointment of a politically motivated panel to review the Constitution," Jogi said and added the panel had not been given any terms of reference and had been constituted without consulting the Opposition.

The government is not in a position to amend the Constitution without the support of the Opposition as it does not have even a simple majority in either House. To amend the Constitution, two-thirds majority in the two Houses is required.

The Congress is particularly unhappy with the inclusion of P A Sangma who was expelled from the Congress just before the Lok Sabha elections for demanding that persons of foreign origin should be barred from occupying the offices of Prime Minister, President and Chief Justice of India.

The article has clearly highlighted the President as being pro-Congress. For example, the article says that: "Coming back to the Rashtrapati, his track record is significant."

It then goes on to say that in

April 1999 when the AIADMK withdrew its support during the Budget session to the Vajpayee government, the President asked Vajpayee to prove his majority on the floor of the House, without even waiting for the voting to take place on the Budget.