HVK Archives: Crisis is wages of political sin : Vajpayee
Crisis is wages of political sin : Vajpayee - The Observer
Observer Political Bureau
()
12 April 1997
Title : Crisis is wages of political sin : Vajpayee
Author : Observer Political Bureau
Publication : The Observer
Date : April 12, 1997
Opposition leader Atal Behari Vajpayee on Friday lambasted the United
Front and the Congress for creating the present political crisis "due to
lack trust in each other," and emphasised that elections were
unavoidable now.
While United Front continued to exhibit its anti-Congressism, in spite
of withdrawing support from the party, the Congress showed that it was
unable to sustain itself without power, Mr Vajpayee said while
participating in the debate on the motion of confidence.
Mr Vajpayee said that misinterpretation of the mandate for the eleventh
Lok Sabha, leading to anti-BJPism, culminated in the present crisis.
Charging the Congress with behaving in an irresponsible manner, the
former Prime Minister sought an explanation from the Congress as to why
it chose March 30 to withdraw support when important international
conferences and negotiations were being held.
At the same time, he exhorted all the parties to ponder over why the
coalition Governments were unsuccessful in the country, while saying
that the only silver lining was that the regional parties for the first
time came to the centre stage and had a first-hand account of the
national perspective.
Mr Vajpayee said that ego clash and fight for power had led to the
present crisis, and regretted that the Congress chose the budget session
to withdraw support thereby throwing the national economy in peril.
Had the Congress withdrawn support when the UF refused to help form a
BSP-Congress Government in Utter Pradesh, it would have had a face to
show the people, he said and added that withdrawing support on flimsy
ground had led democracy to an all time low.
"Hum chunao nahi chahte, lekin aur koi rasta nahi hai" (We do not want
elections now, but there is not other option now), Mr Vajpayee said,
adding that when politicians fail and there in blatant fight for power,
only way left for political parties was to knock at the door of the
electorate.
There should be limit to infighting, as well as breaking and rejoining
of groups, he said and added that even if Mr Gowda wanted to break the
Congress, was not the Party capable of holding fort.
Mr Vajpayee said that rising power of the BJP demonstrated that secular
values prevailed in the country and secularism was there to stay in
India for all time.
It was the day of BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, who made it clear that the
party was going to oppose the motion of confidence moved by Prime
Minister H D Deve Gowda.
Mr Mahajan accused both the Congress and the United Front for vitiating
the political atmosphere in the country in the name of secularism. It
seems that "both of you have taken the responsibility of secularism. The
country is facing such a political uncertainty because of your whims and
fancies. The people's confidence and institutions in the country cannot
be taken for a ride. As in its chargesheet, the Congress party has not
given any convincing reason for withdrawal its support," Mr Mahajan
said.
Referring to the letter of Congress president Sitaram Kesri to the
President of India, that the UF did not support the secular forces in
Punjab and in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Mahajan said that it is surprising
that the Congress has forgotten that they got all time low votes in both
the states. How can they blame others for their own folly.
Back
Top
|
